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G^N
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01752 6754
GENEALOGY
977.201
L43HI
HISTORY
OF
Lawrence and Monroe Counties
INDIANA
THEIR PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES
AND INSTITUTIONS
ILLUSTRATED
1914
B. F. BOWEN & CO., Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana
DEDICATION.
This work is respectfully dedicated to
THE PIONEERS,
long since departed. May the memory of those who laid down their burdens
by the wayside ever be fragrant as the breath of summer flowers,
for their toils and sacrifices have made Lawrence and Mon-
roe Counties a garden of sunshine and delights.
PREFACE
All life and ax:hievement is evolution; present wisdom comes from past
experience, and present commercial prosperity has come only from past exer-
tion and suffering. The deeds and motives of the men that have gone before
have been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and
states. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privi-
lege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation. Compare the pres-
ent conditions of the people of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana, with
what they were one hundred years ago. From a trackless wilderness and
virgin land, it has come to be a center of prosperity and civilization, with mil-
lions of wealth, systems of railways, grand educational institutions, splendid
industries and immense agricultural and mineral productions. Can any think-
ing person be insensible to the fascination of the study which discloses the
aspirations and efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the founda-
tion upon which has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days? To
perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the social, politi-
cal and industrial progress of the community from its first inception is the
function of the local historian. A sincere purpose to preserve facts and per-
sonal memoirs that are deserving of perpetuation, and which unite the pres-
ent to the past, is the motive for the present publication. A specially valuable
and interesting department is that one devoted to the sketches of representa-
tive citizens of these counties whose records deserve preservation because of
their worth, effort and accomplishment. The publishers desire to extend
their thanks to the gentlemen who ha\e so faithfully labored to this end.
Thanks are also due to the citizens of Lawrence and Monroe counties for the
uniform kindness with which they have regarded this undertaking, and for
their many services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.
In placing the "History of Lawrence and Monroe Counties, Indiana," be-
fore the citizens, the publishers can conscientiously claim that they have car-
ried out the plan as outlined in the prospectus. Every biographical sketch in
the work has been submitted to the party interested, for correction, and there-
fore any error of fact, if there be any, is solely due to the person for whom
the sketch was prepared. Confident that our efi^ort to please will fully meet
the approbation of the public, we are.
Respectfully,
THE PUBLISHERS.
CONTENTS
LAWREXCE COUNTY.
CHAPTER I— GEOLOGICAL AND SURFACE FORMATIONS 25
Natural Features — Geological Divisions — Bedford, or Oolitic, Stone — Caves —
Kaolin Mines — Mineral Springs and Salt Wells.
CHAPTER II— PRE-HISTORIC AND INDIAN RACES 29
Treaties "With the Indians — The Harrison Purchase — Wabash Land Com-
pany and Other Early Companies — Original Indian Inhabitants — Murder of
Pierre, the Trapper — Protection Against Indian Attacks — Pre-historic Evi-
dences— Mound Builders — The Fishermen.
CHAPTER III— EARLY SETTLEMENT AND TOWNSHIP HISTORIES 34
Original Area and Boundary of Lawrence County — Indian Hostility — Slow
Immigration — The First Settlements — Flinn Township — Land Entries — Early
Mills — Distilleries — Leesville — Marion Township — Origin of First Settlers —
Land Entries — Hunting — City of Mitchell — Incorporation as Town, and as
City — Business Interests — Guthrie Township — Land Entries and First Settlers
— Dixonville — Tunnelton — Fort Ritner — Bono Township — Original Area — Mills
— Town of Bono — Lawrenceport — Marshall Township — Mills — First ^lerchant
— Avoca — Guthrie — Spice Valley Township — First Land Entries — Mills — Items
by T. M. Brinkworth — Huron — Bryantsville — Perry Township — Early Land
Entries — Pioneer Industries — Hunting — Springville — Indian Creek Township
— Early Settlers — First Elections — Williams — Southern Indian Power Com-
pany — Fayetteville — Silverville — Pleasant Run Township — Heltonville —
Shawswick Township — Land Entries — First Election — Mills — Oolitic — Busi-
ness Interests — Abandoned Towns.
CHAPTER IV— ORGANIZATION OF LAWRENCE COUNTY 64
Legislative Act Creating Lawrence County — First Civil Townships — Boundar-
ies— First Election — Acts of First County Commissioners — County Seat Fixed
— Palestine, the First County Seat — Changes in Township Boundaries.
CHAPTER V— LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF LAWRENCE COUNTY 71
Petitions for Roads— Ferry Rates— Sale of Lots— First Public Business Trans-
acted— Tavern Rates — Re-location of County Seat — Legislative Act — Interest-
ing Items — Court House History — First Court House at Palestine — First
Court House at Bedford — Subsequent Court Houses — County Jails — County
Asylum — Finances of the County— Assessed Valuations, 1912.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI— POLITICAL REPRESEXTATIOX 86
Presidential Elections — State Senators — Representatives — County Treasurers
— Recorders — County Clerks — County Auditors — Sheriffs — County Surveyors
— Probate Judges — ^Associate Judges — County Judges — County Prosecutors —
School Examiners and Superintendents — Coroners — County Commissioners.
CHAPTER YII— LAWRENCE COUNTY N-EWSPAPERS 94
Influence of the Press — Bedford Papers — The Western Sun. the First News-
paper in Lawrence County — Other Papers at Bedford — Other Newspapers of
the County.
CHAPTER VIII— EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS, SCHOOLS, ETC. 100
The Public School as a Potent Factor in Civilization — First Schools in the
County — Primitive Equipment — Improvement in Methods — Statistics for 1SS4
— Schools a Third of a Century Ago — Mitchell Graded School — Bedford's
First School — Southern Indiana Normal College — Lawrence County Semi-
nary— Present Public Schools.
CHAPTER IX— AGRICULTURE. HORTICULTURE. ETC. 109
Fertile Soil — Excellent Timber — A Famous Fruit Region — Dairying Interests
— State Agricultural Report — Agricultural Societies — First Agricultural Fair.
CHAPTER X— BENCH AND BAR OF LAWRENCE COUNTY 113
Law a Necessity — Pioneer Lawyers — First Court of the Coimty — First Circuit
Court Judges — First Civil Case — First Court at Palestine — First Resident At-
torney— Slander Suits — First Arson Case — First Court at Bedford — First Mur-
der Case — Eminent Attorneys and Judges — New Courts — Murder Cases — Pres-
ent Members of the Bar.
CHAPTER XI— MEDICAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY 123
Physicians Among the First Settlers — Earliest Doctors in Lawrence County —
Other Early Physicians — Present Practicing Physicians — Medical Societies.
CHAPTER XII— RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS 129
Armenius Milligan, the First Preacher in Lawrence County — Methodist Epis-
copal Churches of the County — The Societies at Springville, Bedford. Law-
renceport. Pleasant Hill, Mitchell, Heltonville, Oolitic and Tunnelton — Bedford
German Methodist Church — Christian Churches — The Bartletts%-ille. Bedford,
Bryantsville, Christian Union, Indian Creek, Leatherwood. Leesvllle. Mount
Pleasant, Port William, Popcorn and Springville Societies — Church of Christ
— Baptist Churches at Spice Valley, Leesville, Spring Creek. Guthrie Creek,
Bedford. Springville. Mitchell, Pleasant Grove — Presbyterian Churches at
Bedford. Bono. Mitchell — Old Union Church — Salvation Army — Pentecostal
Church — Catholic Church — Episcopal Church.
CHAPTER XIII— FRATERNAL AND SECRET SOCIETIES -w__ 145
Masonic Lodges and Appendant Orders at Bedford. Mitchell. Lawrenceport.
Huron. Springville. Heltonville and Leesville — Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows— Lodges at Bedford. Mitchell, Lawrenceport and Springville — The
Knights of Pythias at Bedford, Oolitic and Mitchell.
CHAPTER XIV— RAILROADS. TRAXSPORTATIOX, ETC. 150
First Steam Road in Lawrence County — Subsequent and Present Railroads —
Free Right of Way and Other Assistance — Bedford Belt Railroad.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV— MILITARY HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY 154
Early Military Organization — "Cornstalk" Militia — Enlistments In 1846 — The
Mexican War — Honorable Record of the Second Regiment — Muster Roll — The
Utah War — The Civil War — Opposing Factions — Enlistments — War Meetings
— Various Commands from Lawrence County — Morgan's Raid — Enlistment
Statistics — The Spanish-American War.
CHAPTER XVI— CITY OF BEDFORD 176
Location as County Seat^First Residents — Earliest Business Interests — From
1830 to 1840— During the Forties— Civil War Period— Early Manufacturing
Establishments — The Pork-packing Industry — Present Industries of Bedford
— City Library — PostofBce History — Banking Establishments — Municipal His-
tory of Bedford— Bedford as a City— Public Utilities.
CHAPTER XVII— BEDFORD STONE INDUSTRY 193
The Greatest Industry of the County — Doctor Foote's Good Judgment — The
Opening Wedge — Pioneers in the Stone Industry — First Shipments to Chicago
— Nature of Oolitic Limestone — Analysis — Progress and Present Development
of Industry — Concerns Engaged in the Industry — Improvement in Equip-
ment— Present Status of the Industry — The Bedford Stone Club.
CHAPTER XVIII— MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS 204
Population of Lawrence County — Village Plats of the County — Palestine, the
First County Seat — Dr. Winthrop Foote — Cheap Whiskey — Palestine Un-
healthful — Ferries — Towns and Hamlets in Lawrence County — The Sarah
Schafer Murder. »
MONROE COUNTY
CHAPTER I— GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 217
Perry Township — Bean Blossom Township — Richland Township — Van Buren
Township — Indian Creek Township — Clear Creek Township — Washington
Township — Benton Township — Salt Creek Township — Polk Township — Mar-
ion Township.
CHAPTER II— INDIAN OCCUPANCY AND FIRST WHITE MEN 221
The Miami Tribe, Former Owners of Territory — Cession Treaties — First Ap-
pearance of White Men — Early Land Entries.
CHAPTER III— ORGANIZATION OF MONROE COUNTY 224
Legislative Enactment — First Election — First Court House — Location of Coun-
ty Seat — Formation of Townships — Another Change in Territory — More Terri-
tory Attached to Monroe County.
CHAPTER IV— GENERAL HISTORY ^ 231
David McHolland, the First White Settler — Early Land Entries and First
Permanent Settlers.
CHAPTER V— COUNTY GOVERNMENT 234
Organization — Machinery of Government in Operation — First Board of County
Commissioners— First Appointments— Road Petitions— First Grand and Tra-
verse Juries — Other Proceedings of the Board — Early Tax Levies — Tavern Li-
censes— Public Buildings— Court Houses — County Jails — Care of the County
Poor — Finances of the County — Assessed Valuations — Old County Library.
CHAPTER VI— POLITICAL HISTORY 246
Vote for Presidential Electors— County Auditors— County Clerks— Sheriffs-
County Recorders — County Treasurers — Coroners — County Surveyors — Semi-
nary Trustees — Probate Judges — Judges of the Circuit Court — Associate
Judges — Prosecuting Attorneys — School Examiners and Superintendents —
Early Justices of the Peace — County Commissioners — Local Option Election.
CHAPTER VII— AGRICULTURE 257
Statistics for 1836 — Figures for 1909 — Agricultural Societies — Equestrian Fairs
— Annual Fairs.
CHAPTER VIII— EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS 261
First School and its Teacher — Subscription Schools — First Graded School at
Bloomington — Various Township Schools — Monroe County Seminary — Bloom-
ington Female College — Change of Public Sentiment — Schools of 1913— School
Buildings.
CHAPTER IX— INDIANA UNIVERSITY 271
Legislative Act Establishing the University — First Trustees — First Buildings
— Federal Legislation — Vincennes University — Constitutional Provisions — State
Seminary Founded — Title Changed — Charter of 18.52 — University Funds —
Taxes for University Purposes — Professional Schools — Co-Education — Rela-
tion to the State — The Old Campus — Removal to New Campus — Situation of
Buildings — Library Building — Student Building — Administrative Offices —
Buildings for Lectures and Recitations — Observatory — Other Buildings — Jor-
dan Field — Gifts and Bequests — Opportunities for Employment — University
Library — Expenses of Students — Law Department — School of Medicine — Sum-
mer Term System — School of Education — Graduate School — Chronological
Table — Brief Sketches of the Presidents.
CHAPTER X— NEWSPAPERS OF MONROE COUNTY 300
Jesse Brandon Establishes the First Newspaper — Subsequent Bloomington
Newspapers — Papers at EUettsville and Smithville.
CHAPTER XI— CHURCHES AND FRATERNAL SOCIETIES 304
Strong Religious Sentiment — Churches in 1861 — The Methodist Episcopal De-
nomination and its Societies at Bloomington, Bean Blossom Township, Stan-
ford, EUettsville, Harrodstaurg, Stinesville, Smithville, Cross Roads and Whit-
aker — Presbyterian Societies at Bloomington, Elletsville and Harrodsburg —
United Presbyterians — Reformed Presbyterians — Cumberland Presbyterians —
Baptist Churches at Bloomington, Stinesville and EUettsville — The Christian
Church — Early Preachers and Their Doctrines — The Church Name — Episco-
pal Church — Church of Christ — Catholic Church— Free and Accepted Masons
— Independent Order of Odd Fellows — Knights of Pythias.
CHAPTER XII— LEGAL, AXD MEDICAL PROFESSIONS 321
Early Lawyers Who Practiced in Monroe County — Brief Personal Mention —
The Present Bar — Early Doctors of the County — Present Physicians — Faithfiil
Old "Family Doctors."
CHAPTER XIII— MILITARY HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY 330
County Represented in War of 1812 — The Mexican War — Civil War — Public
Meetings — Resolutions — A Notable Meeting — Enlistments — Newspaper Rec-
ords— An Interesting Letter — The Draft — Morgan's Raid — Southern Sentiment
in Monroe County — Grief Over Lincoln's Assassination— Soldiers' Relief Move-
ments— Monroe County Representation in Various Regiments — Spanish-Amer-
ican War.
CHAPTER XIV— THE OOLITIC STONE INDUSTRY 360
Geological Formation — First Attempts at Quarrying — Improvement in Meth-
ods— Development of the Industry — State Geologist's OflBcial Statement — Early
Quarrying Methods — Prices and Transportation — Monroe County Quarries,
Active and Inactive.
CHAPTER XV— BLOOMINGTON TOWNSHIP AND CITY 367
First Settlers and Land Entries— The City of Bloomington— Plats— First Pur-
chasers of Town Lots — The Beginning — Early Business Houses and Indus-
tries— General Muster Day — The Town from 1830 to 1840 — Following Decades
—Early Advertisements — Early Mail Ser\ice — Market Quotations — Manufac-
turing Industries in 1912 — The Great Furniture Industry — Banks and Bank-
ing— Municipal History — Legislative Act — First Town Elections — Change to
City — Elective and Appointive Officers — Finances — Water Works — Postofflce
— Commercial Club — Other Organizations — Phenomenal Development — Rem-
iniscences of Bloomington — The Lincoln Funeral.
CHAPTER XVI— BEAN BLOSSOM TOWNSHIP 399
Location — Geology — Settlement — Wild Game — Towns and Villages — Mt. Tabor
— Stinesville.
CHAPTER XVII— BENTON TOWNSHIP 404
Organization and Area — Settlement — Excellent Grazing Land — Land Entries
— Unionville— The Cox Tragedy.
CHAPTER XVIII— CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP 407
Rich Agricultural Section — Settlement — Early Land Entries — Towns and Vil-
lages— Harrodsburg — Fairfax — Smith^ille.
CHAPTER XIX— INDIANA CREEK TOWNSHIP 411
A Nature-favored Locality — Its Early Settlement — Land Entries — Business
Interests — Iron Works.
CHAPTER XX— MARION TOWNSHIP 413
Area- — Natural Features — Settlement — First Settlers and Land Entries.
CHAPTER XXI— PERRY TOWNSHIP 415
Excellent Land, Well Watered and Drained — The "Seminary" Township —
Early Land Purchasers — Organization as a Township — First Officers.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXII— POLK TOWNSHIP 418
Natural Features — Rough and Sterile Soil — Early Settlement — First Elections
—Chapel Hill— Counterfeiters.
CHAPTER XXIII— RICHLAND TOWNSHIP 421
A Typical Monroe Township — Geological Formations — Early Settlement — John
Parks' Reminiscences — Early Land Entries — Ellettsville — Incorporation —
Business Interests — Fraternities, Churches and Banks.
CHAPTER XXIV— SALT CREEK TOWNSHIP 427
Salt Springs — Native Resources — Settlement — Early Land Purchases.
CHAPTER XXV— VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP 429
Natural Features — Rich and Productive Soil — Puet's Cave — Early Settlement
— Land Buyers — Stanford — The Blue Spring Community.
CHAPTER XXVI— WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 432
Boundary and Area — Timber — Geology — Settlement — Land Entries — Wayport
— Hindostan.
CHAPTER XXVII— MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AND INCIDENTS 435
Village Plats of Monroe County — Population Statistics — Old Settlers' Society
— Monroe County Historical Society — Artesian Well at Bloomington — Early
Stages and Railroads — New Albany & Salem Railroad — Indianapolis Southern
Railroad — Pioneer Tales.
HISTORICAL INDEX
LAWRENCE COUNTY.
A
Abandoned Towns 63
Agricultural Reports 109
Agricultural Societies 110
Agriculture 109
Analysis of Bedford Stone 197
Assessed Valuation 85
Associate Judges 91
Attorneys, Eminent 119
Auditors 90
Avoca 49
B
Banks in Bedford 186
Baptist Churches 136
Bar of Lawrence County 122
Bedford 176
Bedford Banks 186
Bedford Baptist Church 137
Bedford Belt Railroad 150
Bedford Catholic Church 142
Bedford Christian Church 133
Bedford, City Library 183
Bedford, Civil-war Period 179
Bedford During the Forties 178
Bedford, 1830 to 1840 178
Bedford Episcopal Church 143
Bedford, First Business Houses 177
Bedford, First Residents 176
Bedford Lawyers 122
Bedford M. E. Church 130
Bedford, Municipal History 189
Bedford Newspapers 94
Bedford Physicians 127
Bedford, Postoffice History 184
Bedford Presbyterian Church 139
Bedford, Present Industries 183
Bedford Stone 26
Bedford Stone, Analysis 197
Bedford Stone Club 203
Bedford Stone Industry 193
Bedford's First School 104
Belt Railroad 150
Bench and Bar 113
Bethlehem Presbyterian Church 139
Bono 47
Bono Presbyterian Church 139
Bono Township 45
Bounties 77
Bryantsville 53
C
Catholic Church 141
Cement Industry 43
Changes in Townships 69
Cheap Whiskey 210
Christian Churches 132
Church of Christ 135
Churches 129
Civil. War 158
Clerks of the County 89
Commissioners, Acts of First 66
Commissioners, County 92
Coroners 92
County Asylum 81-
County' Auditors 90
County Clerks 89
County Commissioners 92
County Finances 83
County Jails 81
County Judges 91
County Organized 64
County Prosecutors 91
County Recorders 89
HISTORICAL INDEX.
County Seat Location 67
County Seat Re-located 73
County Seminary 105
County Surveyors 90
County Treasurers 89
Court Houses 77
Creation of County 64
D
Distilleries 36
Dixonville 45
Doctor, First 123
Drafts 168
E
Early Hunting 38
Early Land Companies 30
Early Manufactories 180
Early Schools 100
Early Tax Levies 71
Education 100
Elections 86
Eminent Attorneys 119
Enlistment Statistics 173
Enlistments for War 161
Episcopal Church 143
F
Fairs 110
Fayetteville 58
Ferries 213
Ferry Rates 71
Finances of the County 83
First Arson Case 118
First Civil Case 114
First Civil Townships 66
First County Commissioners 66
First County Seat 68
First Court 113
First Court at Bedford 118
First Court at Palestine 115
First Doctor 123
First Fair 111
First Judges 114
First Murder Case 119
First Newspaper 94
First Resident Attorney 116
First Schools 100
First Settlement in County 34
Flinn Township 35
Foote, Dr. Winthrop 123, 193
Fort Ritner 45
Fraternal Societies 145
Freemasons 145
G
Geological Formations 25
Geological Survey 32
German Methodist Church 131
Grand Jury, First 114
Guthrie 49
Guthrie Creek Baptist Church 137
Guthrie Township 44
H
Hamlets in Lawrence County 214
Harmony Church 658
Harrison Purchase 29
Heltonville — 59
Horticulture 109
Hunting, Early 38
Huron 53
I
Independent Order of Old Fellows___ 147
Indian Creek Christian Church 132
Indian Creek Township 55
Indian Treaties 29
Inn-keepers' Charges 73
J
Jails 81
Judges, Associate 91
Judges, County 91
Judges. First Circuit 114
Judges, Probate 90
Juliet 63
K
Kaolin Mines 27
Knights of Pythias 148
L
Land Companies 30
Land Entries, Bono Township 46
HISTORICAL INDEX.
Land Entries, Fllnn Township 35
Land Entries, Gutlirie Townsliip 44
Land Entries, Indian Creek Town-
ship 55
Land Entries, Lawrence Township__ 48
Land Entries, Marion Township 38
Land Entries, Perry Townsliip 54
Land Entries, Pleasant Run Town-
ship 59
Land Entries, Shawswick Township. 60
Land Entries, Spice Valley Township 50
Lawrence County Legion 172
Lawrence County Seminary 105
Lawrenceport 47
Lawrenceport M. E. Church 130
Leatherwood Christian Church 132
Leesville 36
Leesville Baptist Church 136
Liberty 63
Licenses, Liquor, 1840 76
Limestone 197
Liquor Licenses, 1840 76
Local Government 71
Location of County Seat 67
Lot Sales 72
M
Marion Township 36
Marshall Township 47
Masonic Order 145
Medical History 123
Medical Societies 128
Methodist Episcopal Churches 129
Mexican War 155
Military Drafts 168
Military History 154
Mineral Springs 28
Miscellaneous 204
Mitchell 39
Mitchell Baptist Church 137
Mitchell Catholic Church 143
Mitchell Christian Church 134
Mitchell Graded School 103
Mitchell Lawyers 122
Mitchell Newspapers 94
Mitchell Physicians 127
Mitchell Presbyterian Church 139
Morgan's Raid 168
Mound Builders 32
Murder Cases 120
N
Natural Features 25
New Courts 120
New Union Christian Church 133
Newspapers 94
Normal College 107
Nunihue's Cave 26
O
Odd Fellows 147
Old Union Church 139
Oolitic 62
Oolitic Stone 26
Oolitic Stone Industry 193
Organization of County 64
P
Palestine 68, 206
Pentecostal Church 141
Perry Township 53
Physician, First 123
Piankeshaws 30
Pierre, Murder of 31
Pioneer Lawyers 113
Plats 205
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church 138
Pleasant Hill M. E. Church 131
Pleasant Run Township 58
Political History 86
Poor Asylum 81
Population Statistics 204
Pork-packing Industry 181
Prehistoric Race 32
Presbyterian Churches 138
Present Bar 122
Present Physicians 127
Present Schools 108
Presidential Votes 86
Probate Judges 90
Prosecutors 91
Q
Quarries 198
R
Railroads 150
Recorders 89
HISTORICAL INDEX.
Redding 63
Religious History 129
Re-location of County Seat 73
Representatives 88
S
Sale of Lots 72
Salt Creek Baptist Church 136
Salvation Army 141
Schafer Murder 215
School Examiners 91
School Statistics, 1883 101
School Superintendents 91
Schools 100
Schools, Present 108
Second Regiment 155
Secret Orders 145
Seminary, County 105
Senators 88
Settlement, First in County 34
Shawswick Township 60
Sheriffs 90
Silverville 58
Slander Suits 117
Southern Indiana Normal College___ 107
Southern Indiana Power Co. 57
Spanish-American War 174
Spice Valley Baptist Church 136
Spice Valley Reminiscences 51
Spice Valley Township 50
Springville 55
Springville Baptist Church 137
Springville Christian Church 132
Springville M. E. Church 130
Stone Club 203
Stone Companies 198
State Senators 88
Spring Creek Baptist Church 137
Streams 25
Superintendents, School 91
Surveyors 90
Stone Industry 193
T ■
Tavern Charges 73
Tax Levies, Early 71
Towns in Lawrence County 214
Township Boundaries 69
Townships, First Civil 66
Traverse Jury, First 114
Treasurers, County 89
Treaties with Indians 29
Tunnelton 45
U
Utah War 158
V
Valuation Assessed 85
Village Plats 205
W
War of the Rebellion 158
War with Mexico 155
Williams 57
Woodville 63
MONROE COUNTY.
Agricultural Societies 258
Agricultural Statistics 257
Agriculture 257
Artesian Well 442
Assessed Valuations 245
Associate Judges 253
Attorneys, Prosecuting 253
Auditors 249
Banks and Banking 382
Baptist Churches 308
Bean Blossom Township 217, 226, 399
Bedford Stone Industry 360
Bench and Bar 321
Benton Township 219, 229, 404
Bloomington 368
Bloomington Baptist Church 309
HISTORICAL INDEX.
Bloomington Catholic Church___^— 316
Bloomington Christian Cliurch 309
Bloomington Clubs 391
Bloomington, 1840 to 1860 377
Bloomington Episcopal Church 315
Bloomington, 1830 to 1840 376
Bloomington Female College 266
Bloomington M. E. Church 304
Bloomington, Municipal History 385
Bloomington Physicians 329
Bloomington Plats 370
Bloomington, Postofflce 390
Bloomington Presbyterian Church — 306
Bloomington Reminiscences 393
Bloomington Township 226, 367
Bloomington U. P. Church 307
Blue Spring Community 431
C
Campus, Old 284
Catholic Church 316
Cession Treaties 222
Chapel Hill 419
Christian Ohurches 309
Church of Christ 316
Churches 304
Churches in 1861 304
Circuit Judges ^ 253
Civil War 334
Clear Creek Township 219, 227, 407
Clerks of County 250
Co-Education 284
Commissioners 255
Coroners 251
Counterfeiters 419
County Agent 234
County Auditors 249
County Clerks 250
County Commissioners 255
County Finances 244
County Government 234
County Jail 240
County Library 245
County Poor 241
County Recorders 250
County Seminary 265
County Surveyors 252
County Treasurers 250
Court Houses 237
Cox Tragedy 406
D
Doctors, Early 325
Doctors, Present 329
Drafts 347
E
Early Doctors 325
Early Lawyers 321
Early Mail Service 378
Early Settlement »231
Early Market Quotations 379
Early Railroads 443
Early Stages 443
Early Tax Levies 236
Education 261
Election, Local Option 256
Elections 246
EUettsville 424
Enlistments 334
Episcopal Church 315
Equestrian Fairs 259
F
Fairfax 410
Fairs 259
Finances of the County .-- 244
First Grand Jury 235
First Newspaper 300
First Road Petition 235
First Schools 261
First Settler 231
Free and Accepted Masons 319
Furniture Industry 380
G
Geology 217
Graduate School ^_-- 294
Grand Jury, First 235
H
Harrodsburg 409
Hindostan 434
Independent Order of Odd Fellows_- 319
Indian Creek Township 218, 227, 411
HISTORICAL INDEX.
Indian Occupancy 221
Indiana University 271
Indianapolis Soutliern Railroad 449
J
Jackson Township 229
Jail 240
Jordan Field 288
Judges, Associate 253
Judges, Circuit 253
Judges, Probate 252
Jury, First Grand 235
Justices of the Peace 254
K
Knights of Pythias 320
L
Lamb Township 227
Land Entries, Bloomington Town-
ship 367
Lawyers 321
Library, Old County 245
Licenses 236
Lincoln Funeral 398
Lincoln's Assassination 350
Local Option Election 256
Mc
McHolland, David 231
M
Manufacturing Industries 379
Marion Township 220, 413
Masonic Order 319
Medical History 325
Methodist Episcopal Churches ^ 304
Mexican War 331
Military History 330
Military Roster 352
Miscellaneous 435
Monroe Co. Historical Society 441
Monroe County, Organization 224
Monroe County Quarries 364
Monroe County Seminary 265
Morgan's Raid 345
Mt. Tabor 401
Muster Day 375
N
New Albany & Salem Railroad 446
Newspapers of Monroe County 300
O
Odd Fellows 319
Old County Library 245
Old Settlers' Society 437
Old University Campus 284
Oolitic Stone Industry .--_ 360
Organization of Monroe County 224
P
Perry Township 217, 229, 415
Physicians, Early 325
Physicians, Present 329
Pioneer Tales 453
Plats 435
Platting of Bloomington 370
Political History 246
Polk Township 220, 229, 418
Poor Farm , 241
Population 436
Presbyterian Churches 306
Present Bar 325
Present Court House 239
Present Physicians 329
Presidential Vote . 246
Probate Judges 252
Professional Schools 283
Prosecuting Attorneys 253
Public Buildings 237
Q
Quarries 364
Quarrying Methods 362
R
Raccoon Township 227
Recorders 250
Reformed Presbyterian Church 307
Religious History 304
Reminiscences of Bloomington 393
HISTORICAL INDEX.
Richland Township 217, 229, 421
Roster of Monroe Soldiers 352
S
Salt Creek Township -220, 229, 427
School Examiners 254
School of Education 283, 293
School of Law 283, 291
School of Medicine 283, 292
School Superintendents 254
Schools, First 261
Schools of 1913 268
Schools, Township 262
Seminary, County 265
"Seminary" Township 415
Seminary Trustees 252
Sheriffs 250
Showers Bros. Company 380
Smithville 410
Spanish-American War 357
Stanford 430
State University 271
Stinesville 402
Stone Companies 364
Stone Industry 360
Superintendents of School 254
Surveyors, County 252
T
Tales of Pioneer Days 453
Tavern Licenses 236
Tax Levies, Early 236
Topography 217
Township Schools 262
Treasurers, County 251
Treaties 222
Trustees, Seminary 252
U
Unionville 405
United Presbyterian Church 307
University Buildings 285
University Charter 280
University Chronology 294
University Expenses 290
University Funds 281
University, Indiana 271
University Legislation 272
University Library Building 285
University Observatory 288
University Presidents 296
V
Valuations, Assessed 245
Van Buren Township 218, 229, 429
Village Plats 435
Vincennes University 273
W
War Meetings 334
Washington Township 219-, 229, 432
Wayport 434
White Men, First Here 222
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
A
Acoam, John W. 635
Akin, R. A. 542
Allen, William J. 743
Atwater, Amzi 520
B
Bailey, John S. 544
Baker, Herschel E. 699
Barnes, Alexander 675
Barrow, Harrison R. 746
Batman, Ira C. 592
Bell, Oscar E. 748
Blair, J. W. 558
Blakely, William O. 655
Boruff, James E. 627
Bray, Samuel 583
Breeden, W. T. 659
Brinkworth, Thomas M. 625
Brooks, Thomas J. 482
Brown, John S. 597
Brown, William A. 534
Bryan, William Lowe 471
Burton, Martin A. 727
Buskirk, Lawrence V. 672
Buskirk, Philip K. 530
Butler, Charles P. 615
Byrns, James D. 723
C
Caress, James M. 740
Carey, Harry K. 651
Carpenter, Earl C. 665
Chapman, Thomas N. 628
Chase, Hollis H. 562
Chitty, Howard 700
Clark, M. C. 643
Collier, James F. 732
Collins, S. W. 648
Corr, Edwin 751
Cox, Alex 683
Crabb, Mortimore 708
Cravens, Oscar H. 712
Crim, Isaac H. 736
D
Dilley, Joseph T. 604
Dodds, Andrew 681
Dodds, Samuel C. 488
Duncan, Henry Clay 496
Duncan, J. B. 518
Dunihue, Fred T. 620
E
East, Rufus H. 581
Edwards, Ezra W. 742
F
Fenneman, Fred W. 749
Fields, Albert J. 560
Fowler, John P. 716
Freeland, John T. 550
Fulwider, W. A. 704
G
Gibbons, John A. 733
Grant, Herman U. 588
Guthrie, Alfred 552
Guthrie, Marshall 762
Guthrie. Mitchell R. 646
H
Hamer, G. Albert 721
Hanna, Ulysses S. 573
Hardwick, Thomas S. 694
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
Harris, C. E. 590
Harris, John G. 533
Harris, Oliver K. 596
Harris, Thomas L. 614
Harris, Walter W. 596
Harris, William B. 756
Henley, George W. 662
Henley, Joseph E. 696
Hill, Nathaniel U., Sr. 461
Hill, Nat U. 664
Hill, Philip B. 587
Hinkle, Charles , 624
Hoadley, Albert T. 656
Hoadley, Burt G. 610
Hobbs, Joel L. 516
Hobbs, E. M. C. 688
Holland, J. E. P. 515
Holmes, Joseph L. 725
Hostetler, Alonzo H. 667
Howe, Jesse A. 690
Hubbard, William A. 670
Hughes, Louis W. 556
J
Jackson, George B. 701
Jones, Walter A. 684
Jones, Walter H. 674
Julius, Fred F. 735
K
Keach, Sherman L. 602
Keane, Edward M. 719
Kelly, John C. 629
L
Lamkins, Frank W. 557
Lannert, Joseph 543
Lee, Henry A. 568
Lee, Rogers A. 720
Louden, Theodore J. 676
Louden, William M. 728
Mc
McDonald, Arthur J. __ 494
McKinley, Cornelius 759
McPheeters, Joseph G. 640
M
Martin, William H. 484
Marxson, C. H. 536
Mathes, William A. 622
Matthews, Fred 616
Medaris, William H. 601
Miers, Robert W. 1 584
Miller, Robert G. 570
Milligan, Thomas 537
Moore, Edward P. 578
Moore Family 576
Moore, Milton N. 577
Moore, Silas -, 576
Murphy, Edgar R. 709
Myers, Burton Dorr 760
N
Neeld, Cyrus N. S. 668
Newland, Ben 504
Nichols, John L. 509
Nichols, Leo 509
Norman, Olin B. 745
O
O'Harrow, John W. 632
Otis, Fred B. 633
Owen, McHenry 539
Owens, Fred I. 692
Owens, James K. 641
P
Palmer, Robert N. 547
Pearson, Henry P. 715
Pearson, John R. 510
Perry, Eugene H. R. 618
Plummer, Richard E. 714
R
Reed, Millard C. 730
Regester. J. F. 717
Rice, J. Marion 575
Rogers, O. F. 706
Rogers, R. C. 706
Rothrock, David A. 579"
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
S
Sanders, Lawrence B. 487
Shaw, Lyman Emery 680
Short, Earl G. 499
Showers, J. D. 608
Showers, William N. 480
Simpson, Morrell 653
Small, Charles S. 527
Stalker, Elbert J. 612
Stipp, William E. 686
Strain, Joseph 755
S*rout, Noyes E. 652
T
Thornton, Edmund B. 502
Thornton, George D. 753
Tourner, J. P. 478
Trainor, Joseph W. 649
Van Valzah, F. B. 549
Voris, Archibald C. 512
Voris, Joseph R. 476
W
Waldron, Charles B. 500
Walker, RoUa F. 660
Weaver, William W. 507
Whitted, Silas N. 637
Wilcox, Asher S. 528
Wilcox, Thalus M. 606
Williams, Canaan 590
Williams, Isaac 693
Wilson, J. B. 594
Woodburn, Walter E. 524
Woolery, Marshall 738
LAWRENCE COUNTY, INDIANA
CHAPTER I.
THE GEOLOGICAL AND SURFACE FORMATIONS.
From various state geological reports the following has been deduced
concerning the geolog}' of Lawrence county, in a general way :
Undulating or gently rolling plateaus, drained by deep, narrow valleys,
obtain in the eastern and northeastern portions of the county. The central
region north of \\'hite river is very hilly, and the western and southwestern
is rough and broken. Each of these divisions is covered with a soil almost
wholly formed from decomposition of underlying rocks. In that part of the
county underlaid by St. Louis limestone, comprising a broad belt twelve miles
in width, passing centrally from northwest to southeast, "sink-holes" are very
numerous. The chief streams are the East fork of White river, Indian, Big
Salt, Little Salt, Leatherwood, Guthrie, Back, Sugar, Fishing and Beaver
creeks. Originally, the county was well timbered with large forests of oak,
hickory, beech, maple, chestnut, walnut, elm, etc.
The geological formations of this county comprise three divisions of
the quarternary age, two of the coal measure group and four of the sub-
carboniferous group. • The formations dip slightly, with a variable rate, from
east northeast to west southwest, and the outcrop from east to west in the
county represents a vertical measurement of about seven hundred feet. From
east to west the formations, in the order of age, outcrop as follows: Knob-
stone group, Keokuk group, St. Louis group, sub-carboniferous group, car-
boniferous group, quarternary group. No drift is to be found in the county,
save occasional traces brought down by streams which have their origin
farther to the north.
Briefly, the geological sections and stratas are these : The quarternary
system; the carboniferous group; the sub-carboniferous group; the St. Louis
beds ; the Chester beds ; Keokuk beds ; Knobstone formation ; the coal meas-
ure, in the western portion of the county, represented only by beds of shale
26 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and shaley sandstones on the tops of some of the high elevations and hilltops;
the conglomerate or millstone grit below the coal measure. Then comes the
real Chester fomiation the upper member being a valuable limestone, whitish
gray to dark brown.
Number 21, known as "Bedford stone,'' is the material so well known
and so extensively used by builders throughout the countrv', especially in the
West. It appears to be formed almost entirely of minute fossil cemented
together with shell and coal dust. It varies in color from gray to creamy
white, and is found in almost endless quantity as thick as twelve feet, suitable
to saw, cut, carve and mold in any desired shape. Beneath this is the famous
fossil bed, containing seventy species, and it is from a few inches thick to
four feet in some localities. xMl are very small and some even microscopic,
yet very perfect and beautiful.
The knobstone shale is the lowest visible formation in the county, and is
nearly five hundred feet thick and outcrops on the eastern and southeastern
portions. Outcrops are seen at Ft. Ritner, Guthrie and at other places in this
county.
A mile or so southwest of Bedford is what is known as Dunihue's ca\e.
It contains many beautiful chambers, with stalactites of rare purity and many
other beautiful, curious formations. Here the fine white limestone, so valu-
able in this section of Indiana, is found in immense quantities. As long ago
as 1883 it was written of this location : "The stone is so soft at first that it is
easily chiseled and moulded, and it is peculiarly suited for door and window
caps and sills, columns and highly ornamented capitals and brackets. Weather
hardens it. The hard laminated limestone is four feet thick ; the white quarry
limestone is ten feet thick and the blue quarry limestone is seven feet thick.
The quarry of N. L. Hall was extensively worked in this stone. A powerful
engine drove three gangs of saws. The white limestone has all the excellent
qualities above described. It has been used in the Bedford court house, the
postoffice at Indianapolis, the State University at Bloomington, the new state
house of Illinois, the Louisville custom house, etc. It is a famous stone."
The St. Louis section in the valleys of Salt and Leatherwood creeks near
Bedford, the whole depth of the St. Louis limestone outcrops, have a perpen-
dicular measurement of about one hundred feet.
In the vicinity of Fayetteville the blue and gray limestone measures
thirty-five to forty feet in thickness.
The hills north of White river are generally capped with members of
the Chester formation, and sometimes almost six hundred feet above the river
bed. A half mile west of Chester Huron, the Chester beds are found, and
LAWRENCE AND ilONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 2/
at one time were extensively worked, and the material was known as "Huron
stone." The bed is twenty-five feet thick.
At Connelly's Hill, the flint bed section was worked by the Indians.
Here they C[uarried material for their arrow and spear points. Fire hearths
are seen in the adjoining \alley, surrounded with flint chips. Mounds are also
found on this hill.
The country around Mitchell was originally a valley of erosion, and
later the flood plain of White ri\er. The surface rocks are of the upper
cherty member of the St. Louis beds. Here fossils abound in great quantities.
In numerous wells have frecjuently been found eyeless fishes. Here the soil
is rich in plant food.
On section 26, township 4, range i west, is a coral reef. Valuable
specimens of coral have been found and sent to national collections. The pre-
historic people here evidently made their reddish colored stone implements
and ornaments. Years ago large amounts of lime were burned near this
point. Asa Erwin made fully twenty thousand bushels, which found ready
sale on account of its superiority. The waste lime was then used for com-
post. There are many caves near this point. Hamer's cave, on section 2,-^
township 4, range i west, is forty-five feet above the valley. The floor is
level, six feet wide, and covered with a swift stream of water eight inches
deep, though in some places twenty feet in depth. Three-fourths of a mile
from the entrance is the first fall. The "grand cascade" is found three hun-
dred feet farther on. Eyeless fish, crawfish, etc.. are here seen in great
numbers.
Donnelson's cave, with its blind fishes, is on section 2>2> of this same
township and range. Here, at one time, was a large line of mills, including
a saw mill, grist mill, woolen factory, etc., all driven by a positive water
power. The interior shows that at one date gunpowder was manufactured
here. Within this wonderful cave the roar of a magnificent cascade may be
heard. Here one finds a well formed hall, twelve feet high by three hundred
feet in length and forty-four feet wide. There thousands of bats congregate;
eyeless fishes and crickets are also found.
In 1884 it was written of the great kaolin mines of Spice valley: "The
substance known as kaolin is a variety of clay produced by the decomposition
of the mineral feldspar, fused with other minerals, and is used for the pro-
duction of porcelain ware. These mines are by far the best in the state — not
surpassed anywhere. They were first opened in 1874 by Dr. Joseph Gardner,
E. T. Cox. state geologist, and Michael Tempest, potter, of Cincinnati. They
made a fine white earthenware. In 1877 these interests were taken over by
28 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the Pennsyhania Salt Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia and near
Pittsburg. For years they shipped annually two thousand tons of this clay
to their factories in Pennsylvania. From the product they made alum of a
superior quality."
Mineral springs abound at many places within this county. Their waters
are higlily medicinal in their composition, and in many instances have been
found to do \^■hat the more celebrated waters of French Lick will not do.
Some of these springs have been used with good results, but the lack of
developing and keeping them advertised before the general public has kept
them in the background. In an early day, when salt was scarce and high
priced, many salt wells were made in Lawrence county, some of these being
along Salt creek. One was sunk a hundred and fifty feet on section 8, town-
ship 5, range i west. Long years since these salt wells were abandoned as not
being profitable, with the discovery of better methods of procuring salt.
In conclusion, it may be added that the stone industry of this county has
made it famous and this will form a separate chapter, hence need not be
further mentioned in this connection.
CHAPTER II.
OCCUPATION BY PRE-HISTORIC AND INDIAN RACES.
In taking up the early settlement of Lawrence county it is fitting that
the aboriginal inhabitants, the discoveries, and the various treaties and other
deals incident to the settlement of the county, should be given introductory
space. The Indians had practically disappeared as a nation from the south of
Indiana when the first settlements were made in the county. The war with
Tecumseh was just nearing the close, which came with the battle of Tippe-
canoe on November 7, 1811, and the Indian opposition to the land grants
made to the United States by various tribes was being destroyed.
These famous treaties, ceding the land of southern Indiana to the gov-
ernment, were three in number, and were all written before Tecumseh and
his Shawnees rebelled against the white man. The first treaty was made at
Fort Wayne, on June 7, 1803, and was called the Vincennes tract. It in-
cluded in Lawrence county all of the area south of a line commencing on the
western boundary near the middle of section 31, township 4, range 2 west,
and running in a direct line to the southeast corner of section 14, township 3
north, range i west, where it leaves the county on the southern border. This
tract includes nearly a third of Spice Valley township, and a part of the south-
west corner of Marion. The treaty was signed by chiefs of the Shawnee,
Delaware, Pottawatomie, Eel River, Kickapoo, Piankeshaw and Kaskaskia
tribes and granted to the United States about one million six hundred thousand
acres of land, of which over twelve thousand \\'ere in Lawrence county proper.
The second treaty was made at Grouseland, near Vincennes, on August
21, 1805, and in this compact tribes of Pottawatomies, Miamis, Delawares,
Eel Rivers and Weas gave to the United States all their land south of a line
running from a point north of Orleans, Orange county, to the old Greenville
boundary line near where it crossed the Whitewater river in the eastern por-
tion of the state. This line traversed Lawrence county in a northeast direc-
tion, from the middle of section 17, to\\nship 3 north, range i east, to the
point where the county corners with Jackson and Washington counties, mak-
ing a total area in this county of nine thousand, nine hundred and twenty acres.
The remainder of the territory comprising Lawrence county was ac-
quired by the government in what was known as the Harrison Purchase, a
30 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
treaty made at Fort Wayne on September 30, 1809. This included a large
area of land mostly on the east side of the Wabash river and below Raccoon
creek near Montezuma, Parke county, and running to a point near Seymour,
Jackson county, where it intersected the line mentioned in the previous treaty.
The area included in this compact was approximately two million nine hun-
dred thousand acres.
French, English, and American financiers, in this early day, fornied
immense land companies, for the purpose of trading or buying immense tracts
of valuable territory from the Indians. In the Northwest most of these real
estate deals were executed, and in the numl^er was one to the Wabash Land
Company, for an area two hundred and ten miles wide, extending from Cat
creek, near Lafayette, Tippecanoe county, down the Wabash river to the
Ohio, covering a total area of nearly thirty-eight million acres. For all of
this the remuneration was as follows : "400 blankets, 21 pieces of stroud, 250
shirts, 12 gross of star gartering, 120 pieces of ribbon, 24 pounds of vermil-
ion, 18 pairs of velvet laced housings, i piece of malton, 52 fusils, 35 dozen
large buckhorn handle knives, 40 dozen couteau knives, 500 pounds of brass
kettles, 10,000 gun flints, 600 pounds of gunpowder, 2,000 pounds of lead,
400 pounds of tobacco, 40 bushels of salt, 3,000 pounds of flour. 3 horses, 11
silver armbands, 40 wristbands, 6 Avhole moons, 6 half moons, 9 earwheels, 46
large crosses, 29 hairpipes, 60 pairs of earbobs, 20 dozen small crosses, 20
dozen nose crosses and no dozen brooches." On October 18, 1775, the
deed was signed in Vincennes by eleven Piankeshaw chiefs. Congress refused
to recognize the validity of this deed, even though the agents of the land com-
pany made many efl^orts, the last being in t8io. A portion of Lawrence
county was included in this treaty as the land here was originally the home of
the Piankeshaw tribes.
In saying that the Piankeshaws were the original Indian inhabitants of
the land of Lawrence county, some exceptions must be noted. At certain
times the Delawares, Shawnees and Pottawatomies acquired a part of this
land. However, upon the first advent of the white settlers very little trace of
the Indian remained. A few scattering camps and burying grounds were all
that constituted the Indian occupancy of the time. The towns were, even in
the days before the pioneer, very small, and unproductive of records available
for history, Heltonville, Spring\'ille and Dougherty's Mill, on Indian creek,
marking the sites of the most prominent of the Indian settlements. Nomadic
bands fisbed along the banks of Salt creek (We-pe-pe-moy), the east fork
of White river (Gun-dah-quah), or White river proper, which was called
Ope-co-mee-cah.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 3 1
The white men were seldom molested by these roving bands. The mur-
der of Pierre, a trapper, supplies the chief incident of this character in the
early histoiy of the county, and even his death has been a question. The
Rawlinses were liA'ing in a shanty in Bono township, a temporary home dur-
ing the com crop season. Just the men of the family were there, the women
having been left at Maxwell's Fort, on Lost river. Orange county, as the
Indians were known to be on the warpath. Arising one morning the men
discovered that their horses were gone. Upon returning to the camp they
found additional evidences of Indian depredations there and they immediately
made all preparations for their own protection. On the following morning
the men began the journey to the fort, meeting, on the way, the old trapper,
Pierre, who was told of the presence of hostile Indians. ■ This old Frenchman
was on the way to tend to his traps along Fishing creek, and declined to
abandon his journey, being slightly credulous as to the danger from the tribes.
The Rawlinses reached the fort, procured mounts, and joined Captain Big-
ger's company of rangers. After a few days the}- \entured back to their
former camp in Bono township, and disco\'ered that the Indians had been
there before them, as everything had been destroyed or stolen. The old
trapper, Pierre, was missing, and a search was made for him. Finally, his
canoe was sighted in the branches of a tree which had fallen in the river.
In the bottom lay the lindy of tlie old trapper, shot through the heart, and
scalped. It is almost an unquestioned fact that he was murdered by the
tribes.
In the year 1810 two families, the Flinns and the Guthries, built a fort
near Leesville for their protection, the fort being located ab()ut a mile north
of the village. By ]\Iarch. 181 5. the usual vigilance had been relaxed due to
the apparent absence of Indian trouliles. A band of Pottawatomies suddenly
appeared from the north, however, and swooped down on the fort. The men
were engaged in felling a tree nearl^y, and were attacked before they were
aware of even the presence of Indians. John Guthrie was shot through the
breast, but retained strength to reach the gates of the fort, where, in the face
of the Indian bullets, his courageous wife dragged him inside. He was not
wounded mortally, but his comrade, Josiah Flinn, was toniahawked and
scalped, which caused his death four days afterward. Jacob Flinn, the other
of the three attacked, was made prisoner, and taken to the chief Pottawatomie
village at the headwaters of the Wabash river. Forced to undergo the sever-
est hardships and nearly perishing from starvation, he was kept four months
in this Indian village. One night he escaped in a canoe and started down the
river, traveling at night and hiding during the day, subsisting all of the time
3 J I.AWRKXCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
on frogs, fishes and roots of trees. He at last reached the post of V^incennes
in a desperate condition. Strangely, he made the statement that he could
have fled sooner, but he wanted to wait until he could take Guthrie's axe,
which had been stolen at the time of the attack. It is difficult to appreciate
how an axe was worth the risk of a life unless we know that the axe, in those
days, was the prime necessity of life.
Lawrence county has scattered over her territory many evidences of a
prehistoric race. The mysteries of these early peoples, their habits, customs
and modes of living, have been lost to mankind, and the silent, tomb-like
mounds left have resisted every effort of the archaeologist to fathom their
dark secretiveness. The [Mound Builders they have been called, because no
other name was possible. AA'here they sprang from or whether the Indian
was a descendant has ne^■er been learned. They existed thousands of years
ago, but, notwithstanding, there is a well founded supposition in the minds of
the scientific world that they were further along in the. scale of civilization
than the American Indian as the white man found him. "Not entirely voice-
less, they tell of a people who once possessed the valley of the continent.
Peaceful and law-abiding, they were skilled in agriculture and the arts of the
'stone age,' and executed works that required the united and persistent efiforts
of thousands under the direction of a well matured design. In the compara-
tive absence of war-like implements, we conclude that this work was a labor of
love, and not of fear; that it was inaugurated and directed by a regal priest-
hood to erect votive temples in honor of the sun, a visible creator of comfort,
food and life."
There are three types of these mounds, as classified by the scientists who
ha^•e investigated them, namely: IMounds of habitation, the temple and sepul-
chral mounds. The sepulchral mounds, of course, were for the burial of the
dead, and inside of them have been found human bones and diverse instruments
and ornaments buried with the body. The tem]:)le mounds were evidently
used as a place of devotion.
John Collett, in the Geological Survey of Indiana for 1873, writes: "On
the southeastern slope of the hill over Connelly's cave, two miles east of
Huron, is a group of seven mounds, from two to four feet high, and an
obscure winding way may be traced leading from the cave spring to the top
of the hill. On the summit fragments of sandstone, reddened by burning,
and small shell heaps are seen. The mounds were probably habitations.
From protruding pieces of stone seen on the sides, the internal construction
was of that niaterial instead of timber, as was usual in similar structures on
the Waliash and ^lississippi. .\ central tumulus, having a double circular
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 33
wall, was probably for sepulchral purposes. A mound similar to the last at
the site of the former county seat, Palestine, or 'Old Palestine," as it is called,
was explored in 1870, by Messrs. Newland, Dodd and Houston. On the
surface of the hill a confused mass of stones, such as a man could conveniently
carry, were noticed, indicating a circular wall twenty feet in diameter. It
was found to be a vaulted tomb. The first or upper vault contained the
bones of many women and children: a layer of flat stones divided this from
the second, which contains the bones of men: another la\ er of flags, and at
the bottom, six feet below the surface, two skeletons were found with their
heads placed to the east and faces to the north. The last were persons of
great size, being not less than six and a half feet high. With the skeletons
were found a quantity of flints, arrow-points, etc. ; near the head of the
largest individual a pair of hammered cojiper earrings and a globular 'war-
whistle.' The keen noise of the latter ma^' be compared to the sound of a
policeman's whistle and can be heard nearly a mile. .Stone axes and pieces of
pottery are found on the surface near this tomb."
Immediately after the period of time in which the Mound P>uilders had
their existence, there was another race known as the fishermen. Lawrence
county has a number of tomlxs, shell hea|)S and mounds. Human bones and
antiquities supposed to have belonged to this primitive race have lieen found
in different parts of Lawrence county. The Indian was the next inhabitant of
Lawrence county, and as history records he probably came from the ancient
country of Scvthia when continents were formed differently and Asia was
connected with the land now Xorth America. The Indian was a cruel, liar-
barous race, and their position in the scale of civilization was very low. Just
treatment was extended to his race, but he reciprocated with murder, treach-
ery and bloody outrage, and today he is approaching a well-deserved extinc-
tion as a race.
(3)
CHAPTER Til.
I.AWRENCK COl'XTV. WITH TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
Lawrence county was at first a portion of Knox and Harrison counties.
In tlie vear 1814 it liecame identified witli Washington county, and in 1816
a part of Orange county. The county of Lawrence itself was created in 1818,
and uanied for Cajn. jaines Lawrence, a Ignited States navy ofificer. com-
mander of the frigate "'Chesapeake." Captain La\\ rencc lost his life in the
battle witli the English frigate "Sliannon."
The first years of the nineteenth century saw very little settlement in
this coiinlx- 1)\- white men. Tlie Indians were Iiostile and the jierils of making
a home -were great. The slow imnugration of the trihes to the West had not
vet begun, and the ])ioiieer hesitated to be the lirst to coni])at with their
treacherous tmstonis. The (Ibin ri\er was then the a\-enue of commerce to
ihe IMiddle West, and conse(|uentl\- the settlement i>f the state ])roceeded
northward from this ri\-er. The ad\ance was slow, made so by the necessity
for large numl)ers tn keep together in order to repel the Indian attacks. Not
until the \ear 1 cS n , the year of the ])attle of Ti])i)ecanne. did Lawrence county
recei\e auv number of wliile fanu'lies.
Records ^bnw iIkiI prolnlib' the tirsl -settlement of any couse(|uence was
made at the spot wbere Lee'^x ille. Minn tnwu'-hi].). now stands, on the eastern
bountlar\- of the county. The settlers of this ])lace had left Lee county. Vir-
ginia, in \><c.(), and ])assed the next winter in Kentucky. In l'\-bruary. 1810,
they came to the aboxe menlionecl ])lace and liuill a fort near the ])resent
grist mill in Lees\ille. Tlic Idock-house comi)leted. the men journexed back
to Kentucky after their families, ddiese families were the (luthries and
Elinns. who were attacked In- the I'ottawatomies later, and their names ha\e
been per])etuated in the history of the county as the highest types of honor.
courage and self-sacrifice, and today their descendants are numbered among
the most respected citi/ens of Lawrence county. Daniel Guthrie and his sous
and Jacob and William I'linn were the men of the group, and each was a
frontiersman skilled in all the art? of pioneer life, in hunting, fishing, farm-
ing, and in fighting the warlike tribes. Daniel Guthrie is noted as being one
of the Continentals who defeated General Braddock prior to the Revolutionary
war.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COL'XTIES. INDIANA. 35
FLINN TOWNSHIP.
Flinn township is situated on the eastern liorder of the county near the
center, and was called after the Flinn famil\ . whose history is written above.
The early settlers were classed as .squatters, or, in other words, men who
lived on the land without an\- title. Not until the )'ear 1817 was there a land
entry made in the tow nshin, and then thev followed in rapid succession. Some
of these were: R. HunlMU, 1S20; Al. \\'nr)le\-, r8_'o: Xoah Wright, i8ic;;
Thomas Hodges, 1817; Israel Hind, 1819; John Parr, 1810; H. Nichols.
1820; James FJlison. i8jo: F.noch Parr, 1817; T. C'arr, 1820: Arthur Parr,
181Q: Martin Minn, i8jo: Patrick Welch, 1817; Noah Wright. i8jo; Will-
iam White, rSjo: 1). Minn, 1820: James Taggart, 1820; John (hithrie, 1820;
Thomas Flinn, 1820: Benjaun'n Drake, 1818: ^\'illiam Flinn, 1820; J. Allen.
1820; Hugh Guthrie, 1820: R ihert Flinn, 1819; Penjann'n .New kirk, 1820
George Stell, John Speer. Fphraim 1). Lux, John IVespc}-, Abraham Suther-
land, David White, .\lfred .\le\ander, Jacob AA'eaver. Abtses Minn, William
Smith, Flijah Curry. Micai.ah I'oole, and Gamaliel Millgar were early resi-
dents around Leesville.
Perha])s tht- uio^t important feature (if the earlv settleuient of Minn
township was the gri'^t nu'lls. .\ "stump"' mill, al the p'ace where Lees\ille
now stands, was owiied by Joliu Speer. and wa< the first uiill in the townshi]).
The next was the I'orgev mill, on (iuthrie creek, a half nn'lc from Leesville.
The first mill built here was constructed hv William I'bnu about the year
1817. This structure descended to his son, Robert bdinn, who^e successor
was Andrew Forge\'. The mill bore the name of the !a>t owuer. and was
in operation for man\- years; in the year i8_|o it was run by horsepower, the
tread-mill method, although in a great many cases a steer was used in ]jlace
of the horse. Hiram fiuthrie owned the nn'll for a time, and then it jiassed
into the bands of the Hollands. The latter owners supplied the mill with
steam motive power, and three -^ets of buhrs. two bir wheat and one for coi-n.
John C. \'ovles wa'^ the last owner, aud after he discarded the pl.ant it re-
mained abandoned.
A Mr. Phillips owned a horse null at I'm Hook about 18.^0. aud nu Pack
creek, northwest of Leesxille. a water mill known as the McGlemery mill was
built about the same time. Fdward Montgomery possessed a water mill on
Back creek in 1840. operated by a turbine water wheel. This mill was the
last in the township, failing in 1872 while under the owtiershi]) of Matteson
Broiles.
36 LAWRENCE AND .MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Distilleries were also operated in this ])art of the country during the early
days. A great many of the settlers were from Virginia and Kentucky, where
"stills" were a common feature, so it is not sui-prising that they should con-
tinue the practice here. Also it is a well known fact that corn was the prin-
cipal produce of the pioneer region, and the facilities for conveying the crop
to market were very poor. Consequently, the corn was brewed into whiskey,
which commodity was easier handled and yielded a better profit than the
grain itself.
LEESVILLE.
Leesville is the namesake of Lee county, Virginia, from whence the first
settlers came to this locality. Tlie town was laid out in June, 1818, and is
next to tlie oldest town recorded in Lawrence county. Bono leading. John
Speer was the first merchant, and he owned a small huckster shop about 181 7.
George Still began the same trade in tStq, and was followed by nierchants
whose names became well kno\\-n in the entire county. A few of them were :
Turner J. Holland, William n\u-pen, William IMcNeal}^, William and John
Holland, Norman Benton, John Ferguson, W. C. Richards and John Hunter.
In 183 1 Leesville decided to incorporate by election, and accordingly did so.
However, the incorporation did not last verv long. The population is now
one hundred and twenty-five.
■MARION TOWNSHIP .
The two Carolinas and Virginia supplied the first settlers of Marion
township. The township was named after Gen. Francis Marion, the famous
Southern commander in the Revolutionarv war. The township is about
sixty-six square miles in area, about eight miles square. The northern
boundary is the east branch of White ri\er, the south is Orange county, the
east Bono township, and on the w est Si:)ice Valley township.
Tn the early fall of tlie year 1815, Lewis Phillips built himself a cabin at
John Tolliver's upper s])ring, near the meridian line, on the southwest quarter
of the northwest quarter of section 31, town 4 north, range t east. The cabin
was made of round poles and was primitive in every respect. Ilie last of the
family was Mar}^ Ann While, who died near Juliet in 1883; there are now no
descendants of the Phillips family living.
In November. 181 5, when the first drear signs of approaching winter
were seen in the seared leaves and grav skies, Samuel G. Hoskins. who had
broken through the rough country from South Carolina, pitched his quarters
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 37
on Rock Lick creek, on the southeast quarter oi section 19, town 4 north,
range i east. At this spot Hoskins built a cabin of hewn logs, and prepared
to brave the winter through. This occurred when Phillips' family was the
only other family in the townshii). The winter ])assed quietly enough; Indians
passed by, and frequently st<)])ped, l)ut not one lixed in tlie township. Hoskins
afterwards became prominent in the affairs of the county. He was a justice
of the peace, and captain of tlie first military compan\- organized in this
county south of \A'hite ri\er. He was a member of the first grand jury, was
a surveyor and a teacher. In the spring of i8i() many new settlers began to
come in from North and South Carolina, among them lieing George Sheeks,
William Erwin, John Finger, J(jsei)h Pless, Elijah Murray, Thomas Rowark,
John Sutton, James Boswell, and Joseph Roswell. .\11 of these men followed
farming as an occupation, except Rowark. who was a blacksmith.
In 181 7 many families came into the township from the South, and built
their cabins along the bank-s of AMiite ri\-er, and in the valleys of Rock Lick
and Mill creek. Roben Hall erected his home on the George Field place.
Squire Hoskins built a hcwn-log liou.sc on the old F^^\■iu ])lacc, and there the
first election Avas held the nrsl Monday in August. There were thirteen
voters, ten Federalists and three Republicans. The former were Samuel G.
Hoskins, William Erwin. Joseph Rless, James Boswell, Joseph Boswell, Elijah
Murray, James Mathis, Rol)ert Erwin, Thomas Rowark, and .\rthur Dycus.
The Rejmblicans.were George Sheeks, John Finger and Joseph Culbertson.
The voting place was afterward changed to Hoskins" new home on the Terre
Haute and Louisville road until 1842. then the jjrecinct was mo\-ed to Red-
ding, thence to Woodville, and in 183(1 to Alitchell.
A rifle company was organized in r^larion township in 1817, and some
thirty men enlisted, a few from Bono. The men armed themsehes and were
clad in blue hunting shirts, trimmed with red. and cap with a feather.
Some time previous to 1815 Sam Jackson — not Samuel — had entered
the southwest quarter of section 32: the entry antedates the Lawrence county
records. This fackson was a Canadian, and had seen serxice in the war of
1812 along the Canadian border. For his services he was given a land war-
rant, which accounts for the taking up of this land. On the tract i'; the noted
Hamer's cave and the picturesque valley in which the old stone mill stands.
During the period of Jackson's ownership there was a com mill erected there,
close to where the mill stood, built of logs, and the water was carried from
the cave by poplar logs hewn into troughs. AA'illiam AA'right, of Orange
county, was the miller. In September, T8r6. Jackson sold the land to Thomas
Bullett and Cuthbert Bullett, and in the spring of 1817 the stone was quarried
i^.S i,.\\vri;mi-. and monroe colxtjks, ixdiaxa.
for the stone mill. In 1818 the mill was linished atul was a model for the
<la_\-. The lliil'etts sold the mill in 1823 to the two Montgomery brothers,
who im])ro\e(l the ijropertv and started a distillery. There had been one dis-
tilleiy pre\ious to this one. owned liy William IMallett and Dennis Frost, on
Rock Lick, iielow Tomlinson's lime kiln. In 1825 Hugh Hamar bought the
property of the Alontgomerv boys. i)a}ing seven thousand dollars in seven an-
nual payments. The nevv" owner re-established the distillery, started a store,
gathered man\- laboring men about him. Iiaulcd i^roduce to Louisville, built
flatboats at the boat yards on AA bite river, and shipped flour, whiskey, pork,
etc.. to Xe\\ Orleans by water. In ^S'2() the tirst postoffice was established
at Mill Springs, and Hugh Hamar was named postmaster. The mill property
descended to Robert B. Hamar. who in turn sold it to Jonathan Turley.
Lsaac b'iglit Iniill a mill, with overshot wheel, at Shawnee cave in 1819.
This mill passed into the hands (jf Shelton and William Smith, and they
erected a distiller)- in connection in 183T. bTilton had a distillery at the head
of Fulton's creek about 18.2^, and ground his grain on a treadmill. James
Beasley also had a distillerv afterwards at Lind.^ey's Spring.
The (."Av'.y land eiuries of Marion to\\iis]up are as follows: (Tithbert and
Thomas Bullitt. 1820; Tetlow. LTughes and (n^iger. 1820: Moses Grav. 1816;
R. Hall, !8?n: Aliraham Flartman. 1818: Samuel Jackson, 1816: Ambrose
Carlton, 181 <^>: Rolx-rt Lewi^^, 1817 and t8t6: Samuel lirown, 1820: John
Edwards. 1820: John Maxwell, i8i<): William Tcrrilk i8ir.; William
Tolliver. 1818; Robert IMcLean, 1817: Williaiu AlcLean, i8if,: Zachariah
Sparling. 1818: John AA'orkman. 1817: AA'illiam Baldwin, 1817: Theophilus
Baldwdn, i8tq: Jesse Hill, !8r7: Martin Hardin. 1817: AAilliam Maxwell.
1819; Charles Tolliver, 1817; AAil'iam ronuerly. T8r7: AA'illiam Denny. 1818;
Alfred Maden and |ohn Hav-, 1818: John Lowrey. 1817: AA'illiam Blair,
1817; John McLean. 18 T7: James Fulton, i8ir); Lewis Byram, 1817; Henry
Speed, 1816: AA^illiam Trueblood. 1816: Jonathan Lindley, t8t6: d. Eli, 1817;
Joshua Tavlor. \Rt~\ R.-.hert Fields, 1817: AA'iUkmi Connelly. i8t8; George
Hinton, Jr.. Arthur Henrie and Benjamin Drake, t8i8: Ezekiel Blackwell,
t8i8: JohU Finger. 1817; Joseph Culbertson. i8t8: AA'illiam Frwin. t8t8:
fsom Maden, 1816; AA'illiam Carmichael, t8t8: Joel Conley, 1817: Josiah
Trueblood. i8r8 : AA'ikiam Connelly. 1817: .Aaron Davis. 1819: Lewis Phillips.
1817; Zeiiedec AA'ood. [820: ?\licbael Dunihue. 1817; David Harris, ^S'^-■.
John Sutton, 1817; Robert Hollowell, t8t6; Robert Fields, T8r6: Jacob Piles
and Jonathan AA'illiams. 181 5.
Hunting w^as a great diversion and pa.stime in the early days of Marion
township. There were many interesting incidents which happened in con-
J.AWKKNCF. AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 39
nectioii with these spurts, the hrst of which ocrurred in the fall of 1816.
Thomas Rowark killed a panther near his caliin on Rock Lick creek. Rowark
espied the animal in a tree and shot it. Everyone went to see the lieast. and
all pronounced it the large.'^t ever seen in the township. The animal measured
three yards in length. ^Nlany hears have heen killed in the townshi]). Xedd}'
Edwards chased a hear into a ca\'e in .Allen C. Piurton's orchard and. calling
assistance, smoked Mr. I'.ruin out and killed him. In the same year. 1820, a
party of hunters killed a large liear in a ca\e on J(^hn E. Dodson's farm, just
west of the Solomon Bass residence. The last bear killed in the township was
shot from a tree l\v William Edwards, in 1821. ,\n interesting and amusing
incident occurred in 1825, in which the chief actors were John Sutton and a
very credulous bear. Sutton was searching for his hogs in the woods north
of Mitchell, when he discovered fresh bear tracks in the snow, lie urged his
horse on and took up the trail. Ele had not gone far when bruin loomed up
before him. Sutton"s horse ca\orted and lieat a retreat, leax'ing his rider
lying in the snow and within arm"s length of the Ix^ar. Sutton was too much
frightened to move, so he lay still. Idie bear lowered himself c'nul smelled of
the prostrate man, then unexpectedly walked away. Sutton, once sure of his
solitude, arose and made ol^' in the direction the horse had gone. The many
caverns and caves of Marion township were ideal homes for packs of timber
wolves, and up until 1832 it was next to imi)0ssible to raise sheei), for the
nightly raids of the jxicks were common. 1lie sport of wolf I'aiting became
very popular, among the most skilled being ITugh Mamar and llenjamin Tur-
ley, and it was not long until the animals were exterminated. Deer and
turkey and numerous other small game w ere plentiful, and constituted the chief
meat supplv. The jiresent p(^])ulation of this township is 6,482.
THE CITV OF MITCIIELE.
Mitchell, Marion township, was named in honor of Gen. O. Al. Mitchell,
an officer in the Federal arm\-. who died at Huntsville. .Maliama. in 1862.
The location of the town is on the south half of section 36. town 4 north,
range i west, and on the north half of section i, town 3 north, range i west.
and was platted on September 29, 1853, ''}' ^^^- ^^'- Cochran and lohn Sheeks.
Good railroad facilities are afforded the people of this town, the Baltimore &
Ohio and the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louis\ille, or the .Abjnon, passing
through the town at present. West Mitchell, an addition, was laid out Janu-
ary 17, 1859, by Jonas Mnger, and on November 20, 18(15. there was another
addition bv D. Kellev &: Company. Since that time other .additions have been
40 I.AWRKNCIC AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
made, and now the lo\sn co\ers quite an extent of territory. Some earlier
merchants were Silas Moore & Son, John R. Nugent, and Robert Barnard.
J. T. Biggs and G. A\'. Dodson were early druggists. Sam Cook was the
premier blacksuiitli, and J. T. Biggs was the hotel keeper. In i860 the town
contained six Imndred and twehe ]:)eoi)le. and in t88o, one thousand, four
hundred and forty-three.
INCORPORATION AS A. TOWN.
On December 23, 18(14. Mitchell was incorporated as a town. Joshua
Budd, R. Barnard and Z. L. AV'arren were named as the first trustees, and
A. T. McCoy, the first clerk. McCoy resigned later in favor of H. S. Maning-
ton. The same officers served in 1865. In 1866, S. Moore, J. D. A'IcCoy and
F. M. Lemon were elected trustees, and H. S. Manington. clerk. In 1867,
the trustees were S. Moore, J. D. McCoy, and William .A. Burton. In 1868,
S. Moore. J. D. McCoy and Z. L. Warren. The following list gives the suc-
cessive trustees, with the year of their entrance into office, from 1869 until
the time of incorporation as a city : 1869, W. V. T. Murphy, A. L. Munson,
Samuel Cook; 1870, same officers; 1872, Allen Edwards, J. P. Tapp, William
A. Burton: 1873, Isaac B. Faulkner, Isaac H. Crim, James A. Head: 1875,
Allen Fdwards. Dennis Coleman, Jacob J. Bates: 1876, James D. Moore, A.
A. Pearson, David L. Fergurson ; 1877, John Mead, I. H. Crim, Milton N.
Moore; 1878, John O'Donnell, James Richardson, Jacob Bixler; 1879, John
O'Donnell, James Richardson, Jacob Bixler; 1880, George Z. Wood. James
D. Moore, George W. Burton; i88t, Thomas Richardson, Wilton N. A-Ioore,
William J. Flumston ; 1882, Milton N. ]\Ioore. A\'illiam H. Edwards. Thomas
Richardson; 1883. Milton N. Moore, Charles W. Campl)ell, AA'illiam H. Ed-
wards; 1884. John Mead. M. X. Moore. Thomas Welsh: 1883, A. Edwards,
F. J. Wolfe, H. II. Crawford; 1886, M. N. Moore. H. A. Trendley : 1887,
Abbott C. Robertson: 1888. H. A. Trendley, 1880, .Mien Edwards, Gus Levy;
1890, Sam Cook, F. R. Elackwell : i8qi, Allen C. Burton; 1892. James D.
Moore, F. R. Blackwell ; 1803, Milton N. Moore: 1894, William Newby, John
M'ead ; 1895, J. L. Holmes, Sr.. Ralph Prosser ; 1896, Charles Coleman, Ralph
Prosser; 1897, M. N. Moore; 1898, Thomas W. Welsh, Fred R. Blackwell;
1899, same; 1900, David Kelly, M. N. Aloore, James F. Mitchell; 1901, David
Kelly, Henr>' Scott, James F. Mitchell: 1902. G. \A'. Walls, Lewis Barlow;
1903, George W. Walls, Hemw S. Scheibe, Lewis Barlow ; 1904, M. N. Moore,
H. Scheibe, Henry Chappie; 1905, H. S. Scheibe, Harry Chappie, and Noble
L. Moore; 1906, Harry Chappie. John L. Murphy, and N. L. Moore; and in
1907, Chapi)le, N. L. Moore and John T. Murphy.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COLNTIES. INDIANA. 4I
INCORPORATION AS A CITY.
On July 29, 1907, an election was held in Mitchell to determine whether
or not the town should be incorporated as a city, under the statutes of Indiana.
The result was a majority of four hundred and nine in favor of incorporating.
The town was divided into three wards, and an election ordered for August
23, 1907, to elect the mayor, clerk, treasurer, and fi\e councilmen, one for each
ward, and two at large. The result was as follows : Mayor, William L.
Brown ; treasurer, Harry V. Shepherd : clerk, Clyde A. Burton : councilmen,
Thomas W. Welsh. William H. Dings, John L. Holmes, John B. Sims and
John A. Dalton. E. Massman later took the place of Dalton. Frank L. Dale
was appointed chief of police, Dr. James D. Byrnes, health officer, and Sam
S. Doman, city attorney. The first regular meeting of the common council
was held on September 2, 1907.
Mayor Brown resigned on January 30, igoo, and Clyde .\. Burton took
the office. Perry M. McBride succeeding as clerk. Burton, in turn, resigned
on June 11, 1909, and AVilliam H. Dings was ap])ointed mayor ])ro tern, which
office he held two weeks. William Stipp was elected by the council on June
25, 1909. At the regular election on November 2, 1909. the following city
officers were chosen, and are at present active: iNIayor, Joseph T. Dilley ;
clerk, Kenley E. Harn ; treasurer, Edward M. Keane : councilmen. Will D.
Ewing, Joseph A. Munger, hVank Collier, Alliert Mi>rris and Walter C.
Sherwood.
The city of Mitchell has had a wonderful growth during the last ten
years. The population by the census of 1900 ^^■as 1,772, and in iC)io the
startling increase was made to 3,438. In 1910 the total assessed valuation,
less mortgage exemptions, was $953,505. In the city clerk's report for 1910,
the city bonds outstanding amounted to $15,500, which has since lieen reduced
to $13,700. The gross debt then was '$2y,-j02. l>ut this has l)een lowered to
less than $23,000. The cash in the city treasury- at jiresent amounts tn ,$4,563.
The electric light plant of Mitchell was established in February, 1907, with a
one-thousand-Hght dynamo. Seven thousand dollars in bonds were author-
ized by the council when the subject of a light plant was first forwarded, and
accordingly the money was borrowed. The plant in iqio embraced thirty-six
arc lights, and twenty-six hundred incandescents. The Central Union Tele-
phone Companv was granted a twenty-five year franchise on July \(\ 1897.
COUXTIKS, INDIANA.
BUSINESS inti-:rests of 1913.
The present attorne3'S of Mitchell are Calvin Ferris. John VV. Edwards,
W. H. Edwards and Harry Kel'.ey. There are two banks, the First National
and the Bank of Mitchell. The physicians are J. C. Kelley, ]. D. Byrnes,
John Gibbons, George Giblions and W. C. Sherwood. Clothing .stores are
operated by W. T. Moore &: Company and Jacob Effron ; Van Ra\- and Reed
& Son conduct meat markets ; Samuel fhay, Harry Sanders and Hiram Gerkin
conduct blacksmith shops: Jnhn Shamer has a harness sliop : Harry Clem-
mons and N. P. Martin are jewelers: in the lumber trade are the Randolph
Lumber Company and H. FT. Craw ford : Henry Schiebe is a tailor and clothier;
Kate Mischoe and Miller & Alexander have millinery stores : John Clark runs
a barber shop: W. M. Shanks and Emmett Brown have furniture stock, the
fomier being also an undertaker: the grocery industry is managed by W. E.
Lagle, C. W. Coleman, Ewing & Son. J. T. Dilley & Company, M. Mathers,
J. F. Matthews. Holmes Brothers. T. J. Wood. AVilliam Sutton and Terrell
Brothers ; John Shanafelt. Charles Coyle. F. 1^^. Braman & Son, W. G. Oldham
and William Mantler have general stores: \A'. A. Burton. W. R.Richardson,
Carr & Jones and M. C. Reed have drug stores : Noah Cassiday and Smith
O. Smith have dray lines: H. H. Crawford. W. F. Thorne and J. F. Collier
are grain dealers: Frank Chastain manages a garage: H. H. Crawford and
Botorf & Simmons own hardware stores: Evans i\: Gordon have restaurants;
Flarry Sanders is a veterinary, and R. J. Seigminnd and J. B. Gambrel are
denti.sts. The hotels in Mitchell are the Putnam and the Grand. There are
(wo newspapers in the city, the Tribune and the Coinntercial.
BANKING INTERESTS.
In 1884 the Bank of Mitchell (private), with a capital of $50,000, was
being successfully conducted, and it was doubtless the pioneer bank of the
town. It was organized in September, 1882. by Milton N. Moore, with a cash
capital of $25,000, which it still carries. It now has deposits amounting to
$350,000. Their liuilding was erected in 1896. The Hrst officers were:
Milton N. Moore, president: \V. T. Moore, cashier. The property was, how-
ever, all owned by Milton N. Moore. The officers at this date (1913) are:
Edward P. Moore, presiilenl : \\\ T. Moore, cashier, ll was chartered in
1905.
The b'irst .\ational Hank was organized in 1903 by William A. Holland,
president: Henry C. Trueblood, vice-president: A\'alter \\'. Burton, cashier.
I. \\vj?i-:xcE AM) Moxi^oK corxTirs. ixdiaxa. _^^
Its first capital was $25,000, same as today. They now ha\'e a sur[)lL\s of
$3,500, with deposits amounting lo $180,000. In 1903 a hanking house was
erected, at a cost of $5,000. The present officers are: \\". Tl. Burloii. ]»resi-
dent; A. B. Hall, \ice-president : Walter W. Burton, cashier; Kdwara M.
Keane, assistant cashier.
These two banks afford ample lianking facililic- for one of the best of
the smaller cities in all southern Indiana. Tlie officers and directors of these
banks are well known and highly respected in their enterprising city and
county. The financial affairs are well cared for and depositors never question
the integrity of the banks. The deposits in both banks, today, show a good
business and a well settled financial policy in the community in which they are
situated.
LEHIGH PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY.
At JNlitchell. Indiana, are two brancli factories of the Lehigh Portland
Cement Company, employing a thi>usand men, and under the acti\e manage-
ment of William H. Weitknecht. 1lie daily production of these two fac-
tories is six thousand five hundred liarrels. The raw products used in the
manufacture of the cement are iimestone and shale, which, after being pulver-
ized to a fineness of ninety-five and ninety-six per cent, on standard of > me
hundred-mesh silk, is burned into a clinker at two tliousand five hundred de-
grees Fahrenheit, and the resulting clinker is again ground into tlie pulverized
condition. The cement from these factories is shipped to various states be-
tween the Alleghany mountains and the Mississippi river. All the exporta-
tion is done by the Eastern mills.
The Lehigh Portland Cen;ent (, ompany is capitalized at twehe million
dollars, and the general offices are situated in Allentown, I^ennsyhania. The
main sales office is at Chicago. The officers of the comi)an\- are: Col. H. C.
Trexler, president: K. 'M. Young. ( leorge Ormrod and \. \. (iowan, vice-
presidents. Ciowan resides at Cleveland. f)hio. and the others at Allentown,
Pennsylvania. There are e]e\en mills in the company, located as follows:
Five at Allentown. two at Newcastle. Pennsyh'ania, one at AA'elLton. Ohio,
two at Mitchell. Indiana, and one at .Mason City, Iowa.
Mill Xo. r, at .Mitchell, was Imilt in Mini and i()OJ. and null Xo. 2 was
constructed in 11)05 and \[)OiK The limest'me i|uarr_\- whicli supi)lies these
two mil's is located at Mitcljell. but the two shale uuarrit-s are in Jackson
countv. Twehe hundred acres of land are detached for factory pnrposes.
The factories manufacture their own steam and electric i)')wer.
44 I.AWRENCK AND i[ONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
GUTHRIE TOWNSHIP.
Guthrie township \\as the last to lie formed in the county, and was named
for one of the most prominent families of the early days. The township was
formed in the early sixties, and is bounded on the south by the East fork of
White river, on the north by Shawswick and Flinn townshii:)s, and on the east
by Jaclcson counlv. When the countv was organized in 1818, all of the
present ( inthrie township was included in Shawswick township, but on the
formation of the new townshi]^ land was taken from Shawswick, Flinn and
Bono.
Although some portions of Guthrie township were settled very early, the
record of land entries until 1820 is surprisingly small. As is the case of many
others of the Lawrence county townships, Guthrie is too hilly to be valuable
as an agricultural region. ,
Land entries until 1820 included: Israel Hind, 1819: Ambrose Carlton,
1817; Eflward Johnston, 1820; William Barnhill, 1819: John Kerns, 1820;
Solomon Rowers, i8r7: Robert Millsap, 1820; Conrad f-biopingarner, 1818;
Thomas Butler, 1820: Daniel Guthrie. 1816; J, Edwards. 1820; Preston Beck.
1820; Elisha Simpson. 1820: George AV. ^'lullis. 1817: Cuthbert and Thomas
Bullitt. 1820. Others included in this earl\- list wvvc Thomas Dixon. William
Shadrach. AA'illiam Plolland. Sr.. John Allen. Robert Millsap and his sons,
A'Villiam and James, \bncr AA'alters. Samuel and AMlliam Foster, Benjamin
and Isaac Xewkirk. Jriculi Mullis .nnd John Dowland.
Probably the lirst settler of Guthrie township was James Connelly, a
squatter, and a natixe of Xorth ("ardlina, from whence he came to (Grange
count}-, hidiana. shortlv afterward seltbng here. The vcar was about 1815.
Connelly brought lu's family with him. and for their home he built a doitble
log cabin. .\m1)rose Carlton, with his large family, came after Connelly, and
in 1816 also Pleasant and Ambrose Parks came from North Carolina to this
townshii), after a short sojourn in P>ono township. Tulward Johnston came
in i8i(i, raised a cro]). ,-md the ne>.t _\ear brought hi^ family. One of the first
mills of this section was that built bv James Connellv in 1817. James Heron
later had a mill on Guthrie's creek, and Robert and Thomas Carlton also con-
structed mills. Tn 1840, the latter mill burned, but was rebuilt by the owners.
Distilleries were scattered over the township, and were of \'arying ownership.
\A'ild hogs were aliundant along the streams, and ex'erv vear large (|uantities
of the pork was loaded into flatboats and started for New Orleans and the
South. Wild hog hunting was one of the popular sports of the day, the animal
being a dangerous foe, much different from his domesticated brother.
AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, [XDIANA.
DIXONVILLE.
45
William and Thomas Dixon platted this village in the northeast corner
of the township on April 8, 1833. It comprised twenty-four lots. The first
merchant of the villas^e was Thomas Dixon, and he was followed hv Elder
T. N. Robertson.
TUNN ELTON.
On the north part of section 19. township 4 north, range 2 east, on the
28th of April, 1859, the town of Tunnelton was platted. An addition was
added in 1863. The first merchant of this thriving little village was Alfred
Guthrie, who began in 1859 witli a stock of merchandise. The first drug
store was owned by T. L. Linder, w Iid was succeeded in this line liy L. .V. Crim
& Bros. The first physician was Hugh L. Kimberlin. Henrv Kipp operated
the first mill, which was. of the steam circular saw t^•pe. :\lfred Guthrie be-
came the first postmaster in i860.
The town of Tunnelton at present has an ad\-antageous position on the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The country surrounding the village is valuable,
part of it being the most productive of Guthrie township. Tn the commercial
side of the village. Reed & Huddleston and Malott Brotliers own general
stores, and carry a large and varied line of merchandise. H. E. Elinn has a
blacksmith shop. There is one saw mill, operated by the Tunnelton Milling
Company. Dr. H. J. ^Matlock is the resident physician.
The Knights of Pythias haAc a lodge in Tunnelton, and in religious mat-
ters the interest is divided between the ^lethodist and Christian churches.
The present population of Tunnelton is about two hundred.
FORT RITNER.
The town of Fort Ivitucr was named in honor of Michael Ritner, a fore-
man in the construction of a tunnel on the old Ohio & Mississippi railroad .
nearby. Ritner was also the first merchant, having started a store while en-
gaged in the construction work. Later merchants included the firm of Reed
& Waters. Moses Wortham and one Brosika, John and William A. Holland.
Gabriel Brock was the first postmaster, the office having been estalilished in
1858.
BONO TOWNSHIP.
Bono township is situated on the southeast corner of the county, and is
bounded on the north by the East fork of White river, and on the west by
4^ ). \\\R):.vci-: axii monroe countiks. indfaxa.
Marion luwusliii). Due tn its locatinii, Ijcint^ near lo the older settlements in
the smitliern i)arl of the state, and on the early roads to the north, also its
place on the ri\er which was a nnich tra\'eled hi^-hwav, the township has
alway- claimed the hrst white settlement of the county. William \Vrig-ht made
the hrst land entr\' in the county on Sei)temher _'_', i-'^i^. The entr}- consisted
of one luuidred and forty-two acres in the northeast (piarter of section 5,
townshi]) T, north, range 2 east.
The other entries up to and including the year \H20 were li_\- the following
persons: Henry I'ulton. Septem])er, 1817; Cuthhert and Thomas ]^>u]litt.
Se])temher. iSjo: j. Hikes, 1820; Richard C. Anderson. j8_'o; John Edwards,
J820; Edward Johnson, 1820: Clark EToggatt and Kitchell. t8i8; Thomas
Blank. r8n); .*~^amr.el Brown, i8ir); John B>rown, 1820: John Fiammersly.
r8[S; Thom;is jo!l\-. iSji;; r)a\i(l (Ireen. i8r8: Conrad Crass, ]8r8: So'omon
Eitzpatrick, j8io; Pa\id flumniel, 1818: Asher ^^■ilson, 1820; Elisha Simp-
son, 18)7: William Hoggatt, 1818.
Bono townshi]) originnll\- inclufled a pail of w h;U is now Marion and
Cuthrie lo\\nshi])>. heing one of the h\e original town>hi])s of the co^untv-
The first elections were held at the town of Bono, and wei'e under the super-
vision of Inspector I^^Hsha .Simjison. In i8i() David Creen hecame insjjector
of elections, hut the \'oting p'ace remained the same. Moses Eee and Thomas
Tolly were the hrst oxerseers of the ]ioor and were elected to the office in
t8i(). Rcvhevt Henderson was the first constahle.
There is no douht that Bono townshi]) was the scene of the second settle-
ment in the count\-. Roderick ]\awlins and his two ne])hews, James and
Josejjh, settled in the '^])ring of 181 .', on a farm in section 22. later owned hy
^^'illi^ml Turlew and near the \illage of .Scott xiTe. 1"hese men were verv
])rominent in ihe earlv de\elo|)ment ()f the countv, and tor>k acti\"e jtart in the
ranger warfare along the frontier.
I'.eck's iuil], on Bhie ri\er, in A\'ashington county, was the ])lace the
earl\- ])ioneers did most of their inilling. The lau'lding of llaniar"s n'i'l \u
Marion townshi]) w as an adxantage later, and there the Bono settlers took their
grain. Blowexcr, mills hegan to spring uj) in numerous ])laces, and the task-
of going to the nn'll was lessened. John Hammersly made a business of Iniild-
ing these mills and then selhne them to others. In the rixer at B)ono 11am-
mersly constructed a grist mill ovA of the ordinary. He luilt a coiie-'^lia])ed
dam, permitting the water to go tlu-ough an opening in the center, at a ])oint
where a large undershot wheel was ])laced between the ilat-l)()ats. The buhrs
were on these l)oats and the grinding was done in midstream. This mill
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 47
worked well until a flood washed the whole construction awav. The buhrs
were later used in a mill in Indian Creek township.
Bono has the (Hstinclion of beino- tlic oldest town in Lawrence county,
having been settled in 1816. Tine town was laid out (in April 4th and the
proprietors were W'illiani Hogg'att. Alarston (i. Clark and I()sq)li Kitchell.
The first merchant tn settle in I'ono was ^^■i]Iian^ r!o!land, aliout 1S18. ( )ther
early merchants, mostly "Down-East Yankees." drifted in during the later
years, some of tlie more ])romiuent l;eing John Kelly. Charle.s Miller, Thomas
Lemon, James AW Prow, James Batman. AshL'r Wilcox, Ephraim Brock.
Uriah Dilly. .Mberl loliu^^on. |ohn .Shade. Thomas \\'. Stevens and Cabriel
Harvey. A\'alker Kelso is known to ha\e ])cen the first physician to settle in
Bono, and A\'illiamson D. T)unn was another earl\- doctor. Tames ( )l(lham
built the first grist null here Sometime during the fifties. Patrick Callan was
prol;abIy the lir-t ]iostmaster. the oft'ce lia\ing been estaldislied about tlie vear
1820.
Bono \\;is one of the most fiotu-ishing towns in the couut\- in agriculture
and commercialism until the building of the Louis\ille. Xew A!I)an\- ^': Chi-
cago, now the Alonou railroad. At that time, the trarle was drawn to the
west, and Bono ■suffered immeastu-ably ])\ the change.
E.WVRENCEPORT.
The \illage of Lawrence])ort was laid out on Ma\- 17. 1837. ''•^'^l consisted
at that time of one Inmdred and se'/enty-nine lots. The A'illage is situated
at the mouth of Fishing creek on White rixer. S. 1'. Moore' ha- the honor of
being the ])ioneer merchant of this town, w bo also ow ned a mill there. S. B.
Barnes and Henrv Harnn-er were future owmers of tiie mill. A few of the
early merchants and store keepers of Lawrenceport were William Turlev,
J. T. .Andrews and Brice Xe^vkirk. Dr. Knight was ]irobablv the first plnsi-
cian of the town.
MARSH.MJ. TOWNSHIP.
Of the three townshijis wdiich form the northern end of the county.
Mai'shall is the center, and is next to the smalle^l in the count}'. The town-
ship was named for John Marshall, the eminent chief justice of the United
States. Land entries were made in this townshii) as earlv as t8i6. and this
48 LAWREKCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
is hard to account tor. as the agricultural facilities in the greater part of the
county are poor, the land heing broken and hilly. The southern portion, how-
ever, contains some excellent soil, and has been the scene of stone quarrying
on a large scale, the stone being shipped to all parts of the country.
Until the year 1S20 the land entries were as follows: Jacob Hatta-
baugh. 1816: William Curl. 1816; Hamilton Reddick, 1817; John Fairley,
1819 : John Goddwin. 1818 ; Robert Anderson. 1819 ; John Hargis, 1816 ; Will-
iam Sackey, 1817: Jesse Brown. iHi(): James Culley, 1816; Michael Hatta-
baugh, 1816; Jacob Bruner, 1818; Henry Brown. 1818; John Zumwald, 1818;
Henry Leonard. 1818: Patrick Tyler. 1817; Nicholas Bruner, 1816: Will-
iam Ouillen, 1818; John Dryden, 1817: Joshua Gullett, 1816; /Vdam House,
1816; Thomas Reynolds, 1S17; and Absalom Sargeant, 1817.
The first mill of the county was built at Avoca about the }ear i8u). liy a
man named l-'itzjiatrick. The next owner of this mill was Absalom Hart, an
experienced miller. ba\ ing o\vned a mill on Indian creek. After fifteen years
of success. Hart sold the null to the Hamer brothers, who owned the mill for
ten years, and then sold out to Levi ^klitchell, who in turn disposed of the prop-
erty to Dr. Bridwell. The Doctor sold out to George Thornton, of Bedford.
Short &' Judali were the next owners, and while in their possession the mill
burned down. Samuel Short rebuilt the structure soon after, and in 1865
Hayden Bridwell obtained a half interest in it, holding the same until 1868,
when he became the sole o\vner. The mill was operated by a turbine water
wheel, and had tb.ree sets of l)uhrs. one each for corn, wheat and chop feed.
About 1830 the Humpston mill was built. Tt was on the farm later
owned by Ephraim Decker, and was operated liy an undershot wheel and the
current of Salt creek. There was but one set of buhrs. The plant was
abandoned in the late forties. Kinser S: Whisman erected a steam grist and
saw mill in 1870 near the present site of Guthrie. This plant was successful
from the first, and in 1880 the necessary machinery for making spokes was
added at a large cost.
The first merchant in Marshall township was Eliphalet Pearson, the father
of Judge E. D. Pearson of Bedford. His former occupation had been as a
keeper of the ferry on the Ohio river, at Jeffersonville, but he traded that
business for a stock of merchandise valued then at about five thousand dollars.
After this he moved to the McCrea farm, in section 5. in the northw-estern
part of the township. This spot was on the old stage line from Leavenworth,
on the Ohio river, to Indianapolis, stopping at Springville. Bedford and
Orleans and Paoli in Orange county. Pearson's ideal location made his ven-
ture a profitable one. and for three years he conducted a thriving business.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 49
He also owned an oil mill there, and manufactured quantities of linseed oil,
as flax was grown then in this locality in large quantity. The method of
making the oil, of course, would seem primitive in this day of labor-saving
machinery; the seed was ground by a large stone operated by horse-power,
and the oil was pressed out by a common bean press. Later Pearson moved
his mercantile business to Springville, in Perry township, w here he continued
until 1840. In that year he constructed a wool carding machine, operating
the same for eight years. He also started a tan yard in 1846, but a few years
later resumed the merchandise business, and followed the same until his
death, in January, 1863.
In the town of Avoca, while operating the grist mill. Doctor Bridwell
opened a general merchandise store. He also established the first postoffice
there, and acted in the capacity of postmaster. This office was abandoned
after a few years, but was taken up again by O. A. Owens in 1866. Owens
began to keep articles of merchandise, and built up a good trade. The suc-
cessor to Owens in the merchandise line was John Heaton, and he continued
for two years, at the end of which time he removed to Newberry, in Greene
county, the business at Avoca being conducted by the Blackburn brothers.
Heaton, however, soon returned.
One mile and a half northwest of Oolitic, in Marshall township, is the
little village of Avoca. There are alwut two hundred and fifty people in this
village. There are no officers, not even a constable. Two churches provide
places of worship for the people, the Baptist and the Missionary Baptist. L.
S. Stout conducts a general store, and P. H. Bedwell owns a grocery. Earl
Martindale is the barber, and the physicians are Claude Dollins and O. M.
Stout. T. A. Hudson is the postmaster.
Winepark Judah was responsible for the laying out of Guthrie on Decem-
ber 10, 1865. The first merchant was undoubtedly W. \\'. Owens, and he
located in Guthrie about 1854, at the time of the building of the Louisville,
New Albany & Chicago railroad, now the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville
railway. Wesley Brown, James Bryant, (leorge Bascomb and James Tincher
were later merchants. W. W. Owens was the first postmaster, the office hav-
ing been established during the time he was engaged in the merchandise busi-
(4)
so I.VWKKNCK AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
ness. This tuwii lias ne\ er gTown to any considerable extent, bnt is still a
small hamlet. In 1910 it had a population of one hundred and fifty.
spjcp: v.\u;ey townsi-tip.
Another ni the h\e unqinal townships in the southwest [jortiun of the
county is Spice \'allev to\\n>hii'. The i)resent area of this localit}- is aj^proxi-
mately fifty-two miles square. l!ea\er creek flows through the southwestern
part, on the west and south it is hounded by Martin and Orange counties, on
the north the blast fork of White ri\er is situated, and on the east is Marion
townshi]). lM)r the most i)arl, the land in this townshi]) is too broken to be
of much value for agriculture, l)ut is well suited, for g'razing. The grt)und
along the i-ner is an excention, and U is to this that the earl)- settlement of the
count\- is indebted, l^i the \ear iSjo there were thirt\-four purchases of
land, while in Indian Creek townshi]) there were fift)-eight during the same
time, thus indicating the relaliw \alue oi the land, 'bhese entries were
Simon (iilbert. William T. indie) , W aufl T. Bullitt, Iv^ekiel Blackwell. Jonathan
Lindlex-. .\cpulla (iilbert. 1 lenr\ Speed. Alisalom Field, TlK)mas Lindley,
Joseph Hastings, .\braham lloladaw Thomas Coulter, losiah Trueblood. Joel
Connelly, josiab Connell) in iSUi; josiah Connelly. Joel L'onnelly. Robert
Fields, John Chapman, (iideon ("ouller. Henr\- Cosner, Jolm Connelly in 1817;
Jesse Beazlew .X'icbols Koon. |ohn Uninn. l)a\id Bruner. U'illiam Cochran,
John Luttre'!. Roger McKnight. and John Swaim in 18 iS; William Maxwell.
Francis Tincher, in i8k): bTn Sander^. William Hoard, in iNjc).
.M^saloni b'ields was the first ins])ector of elections in the townsliip. and
the elections were held first at his home, but were later changed to the home of
Richard Beazlev . Josiah ( 'onnelh- was the first constable, and Absalom b'ields
and Joel Coiniel'_\ the 'ir-t o\ erscer^ of the poor, The^c latter oftices ha\'e
long <incr pa-^^ed out o i" fxislfnce.
Tlie milling industr) of Siiice \ ;ille\ township ni the earl\- dax's was
mosll)- confined to I lamer's niil! in Marion townshiii. in the eastern part. Ihitil
1840 or later the ]>eopk- oi ilu^ localil\ ])atronize(l tbis mill, becausf the mills
in this townshi]; were snial! ann inadeijuatc. Josiah Trueblood owned a \ery
primitixe horsemill. .W-ar iSj;o a horse mill was in o])eration near Bryants-
ville, owned Ii\ llcnry Weatliers. but Ikin since disa])]ieared. I )istilleries were
an im]^orlant fcalnrf in the earl\ indnstnal life, and inan\- things bawe been
attributed to the largt- jiracticf of making b(]uor. The Rowing s])rings and
various features of the land, al^o the earl\ training of the settlers, contributed
to the occu])ation. b'shua Barnes c)\\ned the most im]iortant n\ these dis-
tilleries about 1850, and he also did a great deal of fruit distilling.
I.A\\"KJ-:\'CF. AND .VldNROE COrXTIKS, INDIANA. 5I
The following interesting?' items are fi'om the ])en of I". M. Brinkworth;
■'William Hoard, at the time of his deatli. in 1833, owned about six hun-
dred acres of land and out of this farm the town of Huron was platted in 1859
by his heirs and descendants. No one of the earlier settlers has left so many
direct descendants, in this and neighboring townshi])S as William Hoard.
They furnished twelve or fifteen soldiers to the Union armv during the Civil
war.
■'This township was settled \er_\' slowl_\- until about the vear 1850. when
the land entries became frecjuent : a large per cent, of these entries in the west
end of the township bear dates between 1850 and 1858.
"Owing to the lateness of her settlement Sjiice X^alley cannot boast of any
Revolutionan- or 18 ij \elerans and only two Mexican \eterans (known to the
writer) sleej) within her border>, Joseph liosler and (leoige Brinkworth.
"But it was in the Cixil war thai S])ice \'alle\' made a record that is
une(|ualed b\' an\- of lu-r sister townsliips in Lawrence county and doubtless
b\' few in the entire stale. I ler (piota was always ful! and the draft was never
resorted to. ! feel safe in sa\-ing thai this was true ol' no other township
in Lawrence or the neigliboring I'ounties of ( )ra.nge and Martin. I dare say
that there are more old >ol(!n'rs residmg in the vicinity of .Huron in propor-
tion to the population than an\- '-ommnnitx in the state. Iiai'ring a soldier's
home.
■■'I'his township wa'- hea\il\ timbered with oak. popkir, walnut, hickory,
beech and ash. l)ut less maple tbrni the eastern townships. The working of
this timber was the chief inihislrv from the time of the building of the Ohio
&: Mississip]ii railroad, wliich was com])'eted about 1855, until these fine forests
were almost entireh" exhausted some twenty \ears ago, since when more
attention has been given to the cultivation and fertilization of the soil, and,
while the im.iiro\emenl in the methods of farnu'ng from yeai" to year is slow,
yet it is stead\- and perceptible.
"1'he schools of Spice Waliey were few and the teachers indifferent until
about the Near 1857. when the Legislatm-e created the office of township
trustee, giving the s\'stem « auv heail, and a marked improvement both in the
number of school houses and in the character of teachers is noted. John \k--
Ginness, one of the old teachers, far ,-d)o\e the average of tliat time, was e'ected
as the first trustee at the ,\pr;l election. 1857. I'eelected in 1858 and r85C) (the
last time for a term of two years ) and served till 18^1 . at the Ajiril election of
wdiich \ear Jesse Coimerly was elected trustee and served continuously until
1868. He bears the unirpie rlistinction of being the onl\- Democrat elected to
that office during the entire history of the township. I de was not of much
52 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
education, but possessed a remarkable personality that drew men to him. The
writer regards it one of the greatest fortunes of his life to have known Jesse
Connerly. He lived at the old Connerly Switch, on the farm his father bought
in 1823, and he lived in that same spot until his death in 1891. His home was,
a rendezvous for the neighbors for miles around and the traveler never asked
in vain for a rest at his place. To him and George W. Jones must largely be
ascribed the credit for the good showing of the township during the Civil
war. lliey saw to it that the families of the absent soldiers did not want
and this assurance induced many a man to go to the front. Mr. Jones still
lives, at the advanced age of eighty-six. His grandfather, Thomas Jones,
settled a mile east of Huron in the early twenties and on this farm he was
reared and later owned it and collected together a farm of over one thousand
two hundred acres. He is the last of the early settlers and soon will sleep
with the stalwart pioneers, by whose side he struggled so faithfully to build
up a community.
"There were many noble men who cast their lot in Spice Valley, but this
sketch must be too brief to mention all. However, there are some that stand
out above the rest and we will mention a few of them. The township is in-
debted to two branches of the powerful Burton family which did so much in
the development of the sister township of Marion. Eight of the ten brothers
settled in Marion, but two came to Spice Valley, Hardin and Eli. The first
was a Baptist preacher and fanner and a great deal more. He was a splendid
type of man. He reared an intelligent family. Drs. John W. Burton and
George W. Burton were his sons and did splendid service in their profession.
Two other sons, Isom and Hardin, taught many schools in Spice Valley and
were instrumental in liringing the schools to the high plane they have attained.
A grandson, Jackson i'.urton, also did yeoman service in the uplift of the
schools of this section. F(ir the last twenty years he has been engaged in the
mercantile business and is now a leading merchant in this part of the country.
"Eli Barnes, son of Joshua Barnes, heretofore mentioned, was one of the
old teachers and served in the capacity of township assessor for many years.
"Richard Williams, who owned much fine land near Port William, was
among the most suljstantial and respected of our early citizens. Dr. A. W.
Bare was another leading citizen who lived a pleasant, gentle and useful life
in the l)eautiful valley of Bn^antsville.
"Spice Valley has quite a deposit of kaolin and alluminum clay and at
one time this industry employed several men. but of late years the mines have
not been worked.
"Some of the men of recent vears who have been most active in the affairs
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 53
of this township are Leonidas W. Spencer, Daniel W. Sherwood, Thomas J.
Daniel and William Trowbridge. And now, as T close this short story, I wish
to mention one of the latterday and present teachers, \A'il]iam McNabb. Since
1882 he has taught school almost cnntinuously. I Te is original in his methods
and never fails to inspire his pupils ti) strive for better things. There is
hardly a district in the township in w hich he has not taught and always with
the highest success. Were I asked the question, wliat man in the last thirty
years has performed the greatest service in Spice Valley, the answer would be
without a moment's hesitation, "Bill" McNabb."
On February 12, 1859, John Terrell platted the town of Huron, on a
part of the northeast ([uarter of section 6, township 3 north, range 2 west,
and in April, 1868, an addition was made. In 1857 Anderson Beasley began
as the first merchant, later was succeeded by James Coleman, also a black-
smith. The first mill at Huron was built by D. Prosser in 1857. In Janu-
ary, 1873, Huron was incorporated. The United States census for 1910
gives this town a population of one hundred and ninety-seven.
BRYANTSVILLE.
The date of the platting of Bryantsville was May 28, 1835, and Henry
Connelly was the first settler. The town was first named Paris, but was later
changed to its present name. Among the early merchants of the village were
numbered Henry W^eathers, Tucker Williams, Frederick R. Nugent, James
Taylor and William Weathers. Alexander Coleman was the first blacksmith,
and the first physician was S. A. Raridan. With the passing years not much
growth has attended this town. Its population in 1910 was only seventy-five
souls.
PERRY TOW^NSHIP.
Perry township is situated in the northw^est corner of Lawrence county,
and is composed of the congressional thirty-six sections in township 6 north,
range 2 west. The name Perry was given in honor of the famous sea com-
mander who conquered the British on Lake Erie during the war of 1812.
When Lawrence county was organized in 1818. all of the territory now in
Perry township v^^as a part of Indian Creek township. It was converted into
an independent township on May 14, 1822, and included all of the land west
of Salt creek and north of the line between townships 5 and 6 north.
54 I.WVRKXCr. AND MONFtOE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The following is a list of some of the early land entries in Perry town-
ship, including some of the most prominent men in the county : Eli Powell,
1817: Alexander Clark, 1817: Jesse Davis, 1818; Warner Davis, 1816;
Robert Holaday, [816; Ralph Lowder, 1819; Benjamin Phipps. [818; Mich-
ael and Mathias Sears. 1817: William Newcomb, 1817; William Sackley.
1 81 7; William Kern. 1817: Thomas Hopper. 1817: William Hopper. 181 7;
Jonathan Osborn, 1816: Azel Bush, 1818: Isaac V. Buskirk, 1818; Joseph
Taylor. i8t6: Benjamin Dawson, t8i8; Archibald Wood, 1816: John Gray,
1817: William Kerr, 1817; William Tincher. 1817; Reuben Davis, [816;
Seymour Cobb. 1816; John Armstrong. 1817: Samuel Steel. 1817; John
Duncan. 1817; Coats and Samuel Simon. 1817: John Dishman, r8i8; Adam
Hostetter. 1817, Others noteworthy among the early settlers were: Wesley
Short, William Whitted. Aden (jainey, Samuel Owens, Caleb Odell, Nathan
Melton, Kenneth Dye. John Jarvis. William McDowell. James McDowell.
Thomas Cobb, Dixon Cobb, and later. Noah Bridwell, Elza Woodward,
Zedekiah Robinson. Melcart Helmer, Samuel Tincher. Franklin Crooke, M.
C. Rafferty. Milton Short, John and Thomas Hert, Thomas Armstrong,
John Pledrick. John Rainbolt, Andrew McDaniel. James Beaty, Booker Wil-
son, Martin Plolmes, James Carton. Eliphalet Pearson. John D. Pedigo.
John Vestal and A. H. Gainey.
Milling w^as the. chief pioneer industry in the township, and the first
mill was operated by Benjamin Dawson, beginning probably in the year 1818.
This mill was a very primitive affair, and was abandoned in 1835, when
water mills began to be built. Noah Bridwell conducted a horse mill run by
a tramp wheel until 1840. also had a still in connection. Wesley Short also
owned a small mill on his farm about. 1835. In the early forties Levi Butcher
and Eliphalet Pearson had carding mills in the tow-nship. and they carded con-
siderable quantities of wool brought in by the farmers. Pearson sold out to
Elza Woodward, who in turn placed the mill in the hands of Zachariah
Purdy. Under the last ownership the mill was abandoned in the fifties. Cot-
ton was another produce raised in this portion of the county during the early
days, and several cotton gins were constructed. Aden Gainey and Samuel
Owens operated a gin for about seven years. This gin gained notoriety at
the time from the fact that Lorenzo Dow preached a sermon there to one
of the largest crowds ever assembled in the township.
Hunting constituted the prime sport of those days, deer and bear being
very plentiful. John Gray, who came up from Kentucky in the fall of
181 5, became noted for his skill as a hunter, and he killed enough game to
support his family. He performed the feat of killing four deer with one
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 55
hnllet ; he shot two, recovered the bullet from the second deer, and later had
two others lined up for a shot, using- the same slug of lead.
SPRINGVILLE.
Samuel Owens laid out the \illage of Springville on July ii, 1832, on
section 22, in the central portion of Perry township. Later additions were
made in 1836 and 1846. Samufel Owens himself was the first merchant, and
he began about 1825. Other men followed him, some of whom were A. H.
Gainey, John Vestal, Eliphalet Pearson, Giles Gainey, Samuel Reddle, Cor-
nelius Wells, Franklin Crooke, Jabez Owen, Thomas Butler, Winepark
Judah, Dr. W. B. Woodward, James Tincher, J. E. Dean. The postoffice
was established in 1825, and Samuel Owens was the first postmaster. Jabez
Owens was the first blacksmith. Henry Lingle was the first doctor to locate
in the village, and he came in about 1835. Springville today has about three
hundred population and the usual number of stores and shops found in
towns of its size. Its people are seeminglv contented and happy-
INDIAN CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Indian Creek township is the center one of the three which form the
western border of I^awrence county. The name is taken from the creek that
enters at the northwest corner, leaving near the southwest corner. Salt
creek and the Fast fork of White river form the eastern and southern bound-
aries. The township is one of the original live, and now is much smaller
than at first, at present comprising about fifty-three square miles. In the
agricultural life of the county this township stands very high, by \ irtue of
the excellence of the soil. The ground is rich bottom land in most places and
is very productive, although not the most valuable in this resj)ect in the
county.
A few of the men who entered land in this township during the days up
until 1820 were: Henry Speed, John Towell, Simon Ruebottom, Benjamin
Beeson, Silas Dixon, Jonathan Lindley, Ephraim Lee, Isaac Williams, Joseph
Richardson, Seymour Cobb, Archibald Wood, Felter Hughes, James Gallon,
David Sears, Jesse Towell. and Peyton Wilson, in 1816; David Ribelin,
James Duncan. Adam Siler, John Duncan, John Cloud, John Roberts, Reu-
ben Short, Jeremiah Boone, Elijah Boone, John Rochester, Wesley Short,
John Crook, Daniel Todd, Abraham Kern, Robert Garton and R. Browning,
William Dillard, John and Michael Waggoner. Joseph Sargeant. Henry
X,(j LAWREXCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Waggoner, Elbert Howard, Sullivan and Duncan, John Duncan, in 1817;
Robert Wood, William Gartin, Henry PiersoU, Holland Pitman, William
Dougherty, James JNIulloy, Isaac Waggoner, William Cochran, Robert Mit-
chell, Peyton W^ilson and Martin Ribelin, in 1818; Andrew Howard, Sterling
Sims, John Short, Albert Howard. Benjamin Chestnut and William Wood-
run, in 1819: John Donaldson, in 1820.
The iirst elections of Indian Creek township were held by Joseph Sulli-
van as inspector at Stepp's, but a little later were held at the house of Samuel
Owens, not far from the present site of Springville. James Cully held the
office of constable for the first time, and Patrick and Adam Tyler were over-
seers of the township poor in 1819. In 1822, when Perry township was
formed out of part of Indian Creek, the southern border was extended to
White river, and the election place changed to the house of Frederick Hamer.
In the early days of Indian Creek township there were many grist mills
situated within her borders. One of the earliest was situated on Indian
creek, and was operated by water power. Robert Dougherty operated it in
the year 1818, and then sold it to a man named Bowers. Henry Purcell
owned it next, and in his hands it was shut doAvn. John Craig, in 1824,
built a horse mill on his farm, and ran it successfully for about ten years.
This mill failing. Mr. Craig erected a new- and better one. which descended
to his son, Robert Craig. Elijah Garton had a "corn cracker" near what is
now Fayetteville. and the power was furnished by an inclined wheel and a
voung steer. John Short, Simon Ruebottom, Oliver Cox and Isaac Rector
also owned small mills.
The making of salt was at one time a good industry in the township.
The value of the product was high, due to the poor transportation facilities
with the outside world. In 1824 Joseph Laughlin dug a salt well on the farm
owned l:)y Jackson Kern, but the produce was not sufficient to pay for the
expense of manufacture.
Samuel Simons, one of the earlier settlers, kept a tavern where Fayette-
ville now stands. The bill of fare was very simple, consisting at times of
roasting ears and sweet milk, for ^^hich a sum of twenty-five cents was
charged. This tavern was kept for a period of two years, when the owner
abandoned it and went to farming. Among the first merchants was John
Vestal, who came to Fayetteville in 1816 or 1817. and there set up a stock
of merchandise in a log house. He replenished his stock from Louisville, the
goods being hauled from there in wagons. Frederick Hamer also undertook
the merchandise trade in 1826. and enjoved a verv lucrative trade.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 57
WILLIAMS.
On the banks of the East fork of White river, in the southwestern
portion of Indian Ceek township, is situated the A'illage of Williams, located
on the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern railroad. The village is one of
the most individual in its artistic beauty of any in the county. The houses
are built upon and at the base of a thickly wooded hill, and the winding bank
of White river encloses the whole into a spot of natural lieauty and uncon-
ventional form.
There are three hundred and fifty people in Williams. McCarty & Fer-
guson, C. Wagner, Mundy Brothers, and J. H. Beavers own the general
stores and have complete stocks. S. O. McClung, "the prophet of Eden,"
conducts a hotel and store. H. Barnes, Z. R. Craig and J- L. Sullivan have
blacksmith shops. The physician is J. T. McFarlin.
One church is located here, the Church of Christ. The Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias both have lodges in
Williams, the former having been established in 1907.
SOUTHERN INDIANA POWER COMPANY.
One of the strongest, if not the strongest, contributing forces to the
importance of Williams is the presence of the main station of the Southern
Indiana Power Company on White river, just below the village. This plant
was built during the years 1910 and 191 1, and its purpose is to supply the
stone industiy of Indiana with electrical power. The plant also lights the
villages of the surrounding country and the cities of Bedford and Blooming-
ton. There is at present a sub-station located at Bedford, one at Blooming-
ton, and one near Saunders. The officers of the company are : H. C. Still-
well, president ; H M. Mansfield, vice-president, and Charles B. Fletcher,
secretary-treasurer. The construction of the plant was in charge of the
Mansfield Engineering Company, F. H. Burnette, chief engineer, and the
electrical equipment and apparatus was designed by the Easterline Company,
and installed by D. G. Angus, who is the present general manager.
The present generating capacity is 8,000 K. : 4,000 K. water and 4,000
K. of steam being generated. The plant is equipped with a hollow, rein-
forced concrete dam, three hundred feet long, spanning the river, and it
impounds the water to the water wheels, which are directly connected to
umbrella-type generators. There are four of these units, 1,000 K. each, and
with a maximum available head of seventeen feet. The steam plant consists
1^8 I.AWRKNCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of two 750 K. generators directly connected to steam turbines, and one 2,500
K. generator, directly connected. A 2.442 horse-power boiler is being in-
.stalled. From the main station power is transmitted to the sub-station at
Bedford over double transmission lines, supported on steel towers. A trans-
mission line is being constructed from Bedford to Bloomington.
F-\YETTEVILLE.
The village of Fayetteville was laid out on February 6. 1838. by Ezra
Kern, and in October. 1874. an addition was made to the original by Noah
Kern. Near the year t8i8 John Vestal opened up the first merchandising
house, his -place being constructed of logs, and his stock very small, but large
for the dav. The goods in his store were hauled by wagon from T.ouisville,
Kentucky. Solomon R. Frazier. Ambrose Kern. .Ambrose Parks, Robert
Boyd. William C. Pitman. Milton Short. John Lackey. Ezra Kern and
George W. Morris were later merchants The earlier doctors of the village
were E. F. Allen and Harvey Voyles. Tn 1910 Fayetteville had a population
of about one hundred and twenty-five, being a mere country town trading
place.
SILVERVILLE.
Robert C. McAfee platted the village of Silvenille in 1855. on the 26th
of July, and the whole originally comprised seventy-six lots. Eewis J.
Baker was probably the first merchant, doing business here as early as 1850.
Soon after Wallace Craig joined him. Dr. S. D. Honnochre was a druggist
and doctor, also Dr. J. S. Blackburn. J. E. Kera owmed a valuable grist
mill, operated by steam power. In 1910 the census .tables show this town
to have a population of two hundred and seventy.
PLEASANT RUN TOWNSHIP.
The northeast corner of Lawrence county is the location of Pleasant
Run tow-nship, and it was created when the county was organized in 1818.
The.towmship now comprises sixty sections, being all of township 6 north,
range i east, and the western half of township 6 north, range 2 east. As in
Spice Valley township, the land is much too rough to be of great value for
crops, although along the streams may be found some excellent land. Back,
Leatherwood, Little Salt and Pleasant creeks cross the township, and from
the latter the name is derived. In the list of Lawrence cotmty townships
I.,AWRKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 39
Pleasant Run had the fewest settlers until 1829, having but twenty-three land
entries, as follows: Jesse Gilstrap, 1820: William Clark, 1820: Adam Hel-
ton. 1820; William J. Anderson, 1818; Arnold Helton, i8t8; E. Terrill,
1820; Heirs of Abraham Martin, r82o; Rene Julin. 1818; R. Brooks, 1820:
Samuel Gwathney. 1820; Joseph Dayton. 1816: Joseph Trimble. 1820; E.
Parr, 1820; Edmund Garrison, 1820; James Mundell. 1816; John McClellan,
1820; David McKinney. t8t6; Edward Moore. 1820; Cuthbert and Thomas
Bullitt, 1820; Vana Wilson. 1817; Jacob Woolerv. 1820: Edward Tewell.
1820; and John N. Nichols. 1817.
Mills and distilleries were the chief vocations during- the early days of
the county. Adam Helton and a man named Alitchell owned a few of these
mills, but on account of the scarcity of water they were compelled to wait
until a storm before they could grind at all. Among the distilleries probablv
the most important one was that kept by William Glark, familiarlv called
Billy. John Hunter also kept a still on his farm.
The first elections of the township were held at the home of Joseph
Dayton, with Thomas Henton as inspector. William Fish and Drury Mobley
were overseers of the poor in the township.
HELTONVILLE. '
The town of Heltonville. I^leasant Run township, was platted on Septem-
ber 8. 1845. ^y Andrew Helton, on the west half of the northeast quarter of
section 26, towmship 6 north, range i east. The town originally comprised
twenty-seven lots, but since that time several additions have been made, en-
larging the town. Before 1839 Andrew Helton opened the first merchandise
store, first being a partner of William Templeton. Houston & Ragsdale were
also among the first merchants. J. C. Foster, John R. Browning, George
Brock, A. M. Ramsey, J. W. Browning, William Logan. James vS. Denniston.
William Elston, Jefferson Ragsdale. W. C. Denniston. M. D. Reid and An-
drew S. Fountain, Dr. W. T. Ellison were following merchants and business
men of the town. David Carson was one of the first blacksmiths, and John
Raney, Ziba Owens, the Hamer brothers. I.uke. James and John, and John
Lane were wagon makers.
The present population of Heltonville is about four hundred and fifty.
The town has no officers other than the township justices of peace. William
F. Kinser and William Stackleather. G. N. Norman and B L. Store have
general stores ; J. S. Hanna, the postmaster, conducts a drug store ; Don
Browning has a saw mill and the grain mill is run by the Williams Milling
6o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Company: J- M. Butchre, the East brothers, W. M. and George W., are
blacksmiths ; J. W. Grubb has a dray Hne ; Otto White is the proprietor of the
hotel; R. E. Martin has a drug stock; D. B. Stafford is an undertaker; Rags-
dale & Alexander also ha^e a general store, and L. R. Thompson owns a
barber shop. The ])hysicians are Drs. Jasper Cain. W. T. Ellison and Ptrvy
Woolery.
There are tliree churches in Heltonville, the ATethodist, the Baptist and
the Church of Christ. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows have a lodge
in Heltonville. No. 532. which was granted a charter May 18, 1876. The first
noble and vice grands were William Denniston and G. T. Starr, and the
original lodge started with ten meiubers. The IMasons also had a charter in
Heltonville in the early fifties and until 1822, when the charter was sur-
rendered, and their liuilding sold to the Odd Fellows. Major Bemen was the
first worshipful master. There are many men in Heltonville, however, who
belong to outside bodies of the Masonic order.
SHAWSWICK TOWNSHIP.
In the central part of tlie countv is Shawswick township. On the south
the East fork of White river flows, and on the west Salt creek. The land
adjacent to these streams comprises the best agricultural ground within the
borders of the county. Also, Leatherwood creek flows diagonally across the
townshi]) from northeast to southwest, and the land through which this
stream flows is named the Leatherwood district, and is famous for the rich-
ness and fertility of the soil. Nearly all the land to the east of Bedford is
under cultivation and the farms are supplied with the latest and best im-
provements all indicative of the prosperity of the region. The bottom land
along \\'hite river is a strong rival of the land of the Leatherwood district,
and it is exen claimed by some to be richer. The number of land entries
made prior to and in 1820 proves how inviting the locality was to the settler
coming on his way to the northward. These early land entries were as
follows : Tames Mandell, Samuel Lindley, Ezekiel Blackwell. Hiram Kil-
gore, Charles Kilgore, Preston Beck, William Bristoe, Reuben and Simpson
Kilgore, Marguis Knight. Joseph Glover, James Gregory, John Hays, Will-
iam Thornton, William Foot, John Gardner, John Williams and William
Fisk in 1816: Dixon Brown, David Johnson, Thomas Thompson, John Hor-
ton, Melcher Fehgelman, Robert Whitley, Vinson Williams, Peter Galbert,
Martin Ribelin, William Dougherty, John Hawkins, Thomas McManus, Ross
and McDonald, James Maxwell, Samuel Dougherty, Robert Dougherty, Alex-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 6l
ander Butler, George Silver, Thomas Elrod. Roger ]\'lcKnight, Jacob Castle-
man and Thomas Allen in 1817; Pleasant Padgett, Lewis Woody, James
Blair, Andrew Owen, James Riggins, Mark Tully, William Denson, Stephen
Shipman, Absalom Hart, Abraham Mitchell, John Spears, David Wilson.
Timothy Ward, Arta Garrison, Ebenezer McDonald, Fetler and Hughes,
Peter Harmonson, James Erwin and Henry McGree in 1818: T. McAfee,
Michael Johnson, R. Bowles. James Blair, James Denson, Joseph James,
James Owens, in 1819; Jacob Hikes, Cuthbert and Thomas Bullitt, Dixon
Brown, Roger McKnight, Jacob Geiger, Bartholomew Thatcher, Fetler and
Hughes, Phillip Starr. J. Thompson, James Allen, Jonathan Henderson,
Isaac Jamison, Samuel Gwathney, Thomas Maffith, James Pace, Thomas
Hill and Jacob Clark, in 1820.
Shawswick was one of the original five townships, and the name came
in the following manner: A judge in the early history of the state bore the
name of Wick, and he had many admirers in this county who insisted that the
township should be named after him. One of the county commissioners at
the same time, by the name of Beazley, had a comrade by the name of Shaw,
who was killed in the battle of Tippecanoe. Beazley advocated the name of
Shaw and had many supporters in his desire. The two parties finally com-
promised on the name Shawswick.
It is highly probable that the first elections were held at the town of
Palestine. Pleasant Parks was the inspector at the first voting,- but in the
following year was succeeded by William Kelsey. Joshua Taylor and James
Mimdle were chosen overseers of the poor in the same year. Instead of one
constable, Shawswick township maintained that the dignity of the law could
be upheld by no less than three, so accordingly Nathaniel Vaughn. William
Dale and John Sutton were appointed as constables.
The many streams in the township gave rise to many water mills of
various types, some for grinding grain and others for sawing timber. Early
in the twenties Alexander Butler and Robert Dougherty built a saw mill on
Leatherwood creek, about a mile and a half southeast of Bedford. The mill
was run by a flutter wheel, which was faster and easier of operation than
the undershot w'heel. Edward Humpston, whose name was prominently
identified with mills over the whole country, built another saw mill above the
above mentioned one and on Leatherwood creek. After a time, and as was
his custom, he sold the mill to Richard Evans, who ran the plant for seven
years before abandoning it. Humpston also built a grist mill in 1826, which
lasted for several years. It was operated by a breast water wheel. Farther
up the creek, and near the present site of Erie, a grist and saw- mill was
1)2 I.AVVKKNCK AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
built in 1832 by Wesle} and Michael Johnson. Also the Rawlins mill was
among the best of the day, and was built by Joseph Rawlins about 1835. It
was (ine nf the largest in the county, having three runs of buhrs, and quan-
tities of flour were ship])ed from here to all parts of the country By rail-
road it was shipped north to Detroit and other northern cities, while the
soutliern transpnrtation was conducted by means of flatljoats. i)rincipally
down the Mississippi to New Orleans. There were many other mills, but
each in turn suffered an ignominous end, either being abandoned by the
owners or being: waslied out bv a sudden rise in the streams.
Three miles and a half northwest of Bedford in Shawswick township,
is situated the town of Oolitic with a present population of about two thou-
sand, a substantial growth since the census of iqto, when it was 1.079.
Under the statutes of Indiana, the village of Oolitic was incorporated as a
town in igoo. The present town officers are: Trustees, Marshall Miller, S.
L. Roberts and' Ira A1. (.'amiichael : marshal, lose|)h Pace: clerk and treas-
urer, R. V. Worman. The town has no water system, l:>ut is supplied with
electricity l)y the Oolitic Light, Heat & Power Comiiany. whicli was estab-
lished in \])ril, M)13. The c\\\ has a town hall.
The business interests of 1013 are as follows: H. L. Pa.xton .-md Wal-
ter Mosier. attorneys; blacksmiths, .Vl. Anderson and T\. L. Clark; barbers,
Smallwood ^s: Johnson, and Noali Flarney : clothing stores. R. IT Riddell ;
dry goods, K. Dobbins, Berney Mitchell and Isaac Siletz ; drug stores. L. A.
Sma'lwood. C \'. Gforge and Har\e\' II. l>elfon; furniture. Ooolitic Inuni-
tm-e ('oni])any. Meadows &- Meadows, projirietors, and the Miller Furniture
Company; grocerx- stores. Cook &- Cook. D. Watson, \V . M. Cuddy, Plarry
Bvers, Deford Brothers; (h-av lines, TI. L. Clark. Ira M. Carmichael ; shoe
stores. I. A. Busli, also a iewelr^- and general store keeper; grain dealers,
William Cuddy. Claude Cook and Delberl Watson; livery. H. L. Clark and
Thrasher P.rothers ; liardNvare. .\. ( ". Clark; lumlier. Ziba Owens. Gilbert
Pierce and the Oolitic Lumlier Company; grain mill. .\rch .'\nderson; mil-
linery, Mrs. Joseph Pace and Mrs. Clarinda Smallwood; meat markets, Del-
bert Watson and Deford Brothers. The i)hysicians of Oolitic are R. B.
Short, Oliver McLaughlin, Claude Dollins and Dr. Ray. Dr. J. B. Blessing
is the dentist. Tliere is one newspaper, the Prof/ressk'c.
The town, of C)olitic owes its existence mainly to the stone industry.
The town is a center of nianv quarries and mills liearing a world-wide reputa-
LAWRENCE AND MONKOIC COi:NTtES. INDIANA. 63
tion. Among the principal ones surrounding the town are : The Indiana
Stone Company, the Reed Stone Company, the Indiana Quarries Company,
the Consohdated Stone Company, the Furst-Kerber Company, and the Ingles
Stone Company. A drive through the country nearb}- reveals mammoth
stacks of cut stone, black smoke from myriad mill chimneys, and stone-
heaped cars sidetracked ready to be rushed to different points of the countrx-.
The workers live in the picturesque and beautiful hills of Lawrence county,
close to their working ground, little noting the magnificent proportions and
impressive detail of the wooded and rockv elevations around them.
In Oolitic there are three churches, the Baptist, the ^Methodist and the
Church of Christ. The lodges are the Knights of Pythias, the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, including the encampment and the Rebekah.
AB.ANnONEn TOWNS.
Scattered over the county are se\eral towns, or rather, sites of towns,
which stand as lonely monument^ tn villages once flourisliing, l>ut abandoned
to decav on account of sonic climatic or commercial reason.
Liberty, four miles and a half southwest of Bedford, is one of these.
This x'illage was platted iii iSjg. and sexeral small buildings immediately
sprang u]). John S. Daughlon, b'rank 7'illy. Alexander H. Dunihue were
among the early merchants. The health condition^ finally l;ecame so bad
that residence there was dangerous, and accordingl\- ihe town was abandoned.
W'oodville. laid out Deccuilier ro. iS-jc;, by F.dwin Wood, was located
on the Louisville, Nen ,-Mban\' &- Chicagr. railroad. The proprietor of the
town manufactured lumber.
I\ei!ding w ai^ laid oiu l)y kol)erl PoUer and lolm R. Xugent. on .\ugust
2^. 1H.1.J. and was situated on tiie southwest i|uarter of section J^. This
town has jia-'^ed into history.
Juliet, also, has been relegated to the ages. This village was opened in
1850 on the _southwest corner of section i i. jiuring the first years, the town
was the terminus of th(> Louisville, Xe\\- .\llian)- ..K- ("hicago railroad, and con-
sequenth' became a trade center. The comisletion oi the road to the north
ruined the town, bowexer, and early death was its fate.
For other defunct places see "A'illage Plats" in Miscellaneous chapter of
this work.
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
At one time Lawrence county was a part of Washington and also, at an-
other date, of Orange county. The act of the Legislature creating Lawrence
county out of a part of Orange county was approved January 7, 1818, and
reads as follows :
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That
from and after the third ^Monday of March next, all that part of the county
of Orange contained in the following bounds shall form and constitute a
separate county. \'iz. : Beginning at the range line dividing ranges 2 and 3
west, at the center of township 3 north, and running thence east to the line
dividing the counties of Washington, Orange and Jackson; thence north with
said line dividing townships 6 and 7 north ; thence west with said line dividing
ranges 2 and 3 west; thence south with said range line to the place of
beginning.
"Section 2. — The said new county shall be known and designated by the
name and style of the county of Lawrence, and shall enjoy all the rights and
privileges and jurisdictions which separate counties do or may properly be-
long or appertain : Provided, that all suits, pleas, plaints, actions and pro-
ceedings in law or equity which may have been commenced or instituted be-
fore the third Monday of March next, and shall be pending in the county of
Orange shall be prosecuted and determined in the same manner as if this act
had not passed; provided, also, that all taxes which may be due on the said
third Monday of IMarch next shall be collected and paid in the same manner
and by the same officers as if the said new countv of Lawrence had not been
formed.
"Section 3. — Al:)raham Huff, of Jackson county, Abraham Bosley, of
Orange county, Joel Holbert. of Daviess county, William Hobbs, of Wash-
ington county, and George Boone, of Harrison county, are hereby appointed
commissioners agreeable to the act entitled '.A.n act for the fixing the county
seat of justice in all new counties hereafter to lie laid off." The commission-
ers alinve named shall convene at the house of James Gregory in said county
of Lawrence on the third Monday of M'arch next, and shall immediately
proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law. It is hereby made
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 65
the duty of the sheriff of Orange county to notify the said commissioners,
either in person or by written notification, of their appointment on or before
the first day of March next, and the said sheriff of Orange county shall receive
from the said county of Lawrence so much as the county commissioners shall
deem just and reasonable, who are hereby authorized to allow the same out
of any moneys in the county treasury, in the same manner other claims are
paid.
"Section 4. — The circuit and other courts of the county of Lawrence
shall be holden at the house of James Gregory, in the said county, until suit-
able accommodations can be had at the seat of justice, and so soon as the
courts of said county are satisfied that suitable accommodations can be had at
the county seat, they shall adjourn thereto, after which time all the courts of
the county shall be holden at the county seat of Lawrence county established
as directed by this act.
"Section 5. — The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sale
of lots at the county seat of Lawrence county shall receive ten per sent, out
of the proceeds thereof, and pay the same over to such person or persons as
may be appointed by law to receive the same for the use of a library for the
county, which he shall pay over at such time or times as may be directed by
law. This act shall take efifect and be in force from and after the third Mon-
day of March next."
Approved January 7, 1818.
From this enactment it will be observed that originally Lawrence county
did not comprise two tiers of sections north and south along the eastern side
which now fall within her borders. These two tiers included the towns of
Leesville and Fort Ritner, both of which were in existence in 1822, at which
date, through the influence, mainly, of these towns, by means of petitions, the
following enactment of the Legislature was secured :
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That
from and after the first day of January next, all that part of the county of
Jackson included within the following boundaries, to-wit : Beginning at the
northwest corner of section 16, township 5, range 2 east, thence east two miles
to the northeast corner of section 15, thence south to the Driftwood fork, of
White river, thence down said river to the line which at present divides the
counties of Jackson and Lawrence, thence to the place of beginning, be and
the same is hereby attached to the county of Lawrence, and shall after the
date above mentioned be deemed and taken as a part of Lawrence to all in-
tents and purposes to form and constitute a part of said county of Lawrence :
Provided, however, that all suits, pleas, plaints and proceedings which shall
(5)
66 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
have been commenced and pending within the said county of Jackson previous
to the said first day of Januar\' next, shall be prosecuted to final efifect in the
same manner as if this act had not been passed; provided, further, that the
state and county taxes wliich may be due on the said ist of January next
shall be collected and paid in the same manner and by the same oi^cers as if
this act had not been passed. This act to be in force from and after the first
day of January, 1823."
Approved Decemljer 31, 1822.
FIRST CIVIL TOWNSI-IIPS.
Before the organization of Lawrence county in 1818, and while the
territory was yet attached to Orange county, all the present county north of
the river, except two tiers of sections on the east and a small tract on the
southeast, was organized as Leatherwood township, and that pdrtion of the
present county south of the White river was part of the northern tier of town-
ships in Orange countv, except the old township of Bono, which had l)een
created by the commissioners of Orange county, in January, 1817, with the
following limits: Beginning on White ri\er at the northwest corner of
Washington county, thence south to the Cincinnati road, thence west to Fish-
ing creek, thence north to White river ; thence north \\ith the section line
which cros.ses at the mouth of said creek three miles, thence east to Jackson
county, thence south to the beginning. Leatherwood township had been
created early in 18 16. The following is the results of the August, 1816,
election, in Leatherwood township :
For (iovernor — Posev 12, Jennings 4: for Congress — Hendricks 16,
Thom none, Sullivan none; senator — Rawlins 16, DePauw none, Clark none;
representative — Jonathan Lindley, 13. Pinnick, none, Lewis none; sheriff —
Rolierts 7, Lindley 6; coroner — Crawford 13, Clendenin, none.
ACTS OF THE FIRST COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
March ii, rSi8, the countv commissioners, ,\ml)rose Carlton, Thomas
Beagley and James Stotts, met at the house of James Gregory for the trans-
action of such business as might come before them. The election of the cir-
cuit clerk was contested and a new election was ordered. James Stotts, Jr.,
was appointed lister ; John Anderson, county treasurer, and Robert M. Carl-
ton, county agent. On the third day of this session, the commissioners pro-
ceeded to divide the county into two civil townships, Shawswick and Spice
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INniANA. 67
Valley. Shawswick was as follows : Beginning at the mouth of Salt creek,
thence up to the line dividing townships 5 and 6 ; thence east to the county
line; thence south to Guthrie creek; thence down the same to where sections
II, 12, 13 and 14 unite: thence west with the line dividing sections 11 and 14
one mile; thence south with the line dividing sections 14 and 15 to the county
line; thence west to the southwest comer of section 17, township 3, range i
west; thence north to White river; thence up to the beginning.
Spice Valley township included all of the present Spice Valley town-
ship, together with all of Indian creek township south of the dividing line of
sections 19 and 30, township 5, range 2 west. Indian Creek township in-
cluded all of Lawrence county west of Salt creek and north of the line divid-
ing sections 19 and 30, township 5 north, range 2 west. Bono township com-
prised all of the county southeast of Shawswick township. Pleasant Run
township comprised all of the count\- east of Indian Creek t(nvnship and north
of Shawswick township.
Pleasant Parks was appointed inspector of elections in Shawswick and
elections were ordered held at the cabin of Thompson, on the north bank of
White river, near Palestine. Elections in Spice Valley were ordered held at
Absalom Field's, with himself as inspector: Indian Creek, at the house of Mr.
Stipps, with Joseph Sullivan, inspector: in Bono, at Bono Village, with Elisha
Simpson, inspector: in Pleasant Run, at the house of Joseph Dayton, with
Thomas Henton. inspector. Two justices of the peace were ordered elected
in each township, April 25, 18 J 8. The report of the county-.seat-locating
commissioners was adopted and spread upon the county's record as follows :
THE COITNTY SEAT FIXED.
"To the Board of Commissioners in and for the County of Lawrence,
State of Indiana : We, the Commissioners appointed by an act bearing date
January 7, 1818, to fi.x; the seat of justice in the county of Lawrence have
in conformity to our appointments met at the house of James Gregory, and in
pursuance of the duty assigned us In- law. after being sworn, proceeded to
discharge the duty enjoined upon us by law, and therefore take the lil^erty
of reporting accordingly that we liave selected and fixed upon two hundred
acres of land on the north side of White river and on both sides of the second
principal meridian line, which said land is given as a donation to the county
aforesaid by Benjamin and Ezekiel Blackwell, Heniy Speed and Henry H.
Massie. Said land is bounded as follows : Beginning on the river below the
meridian line sixty-four poles : thence north sixty-nine degrees west thirty
68 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
poles to a gray ash: thence north thirty-six degrees west eighty-two poles;
thence north fourteen degrees west eighty poles; thence north fifty-four de-
rees east one hundred and sixty-seven poles to the river ; thence west with the
meanders of the same to the beginning — containing two hundred acres. Hav-
ing taken the necessary lx)nd for the title, your commissioners find nothing
further to do in the discharge of the duty assigned them by law, and beg
leave to report. Given under our hands and seals this 21st day of March,
1818. Furthermore, we the commissioners aforesaid have thought proper
to make a reserve of one lot for Benjamin Blackwell, provided the said
Blackwell will for the same pay such price as lots lying in the same situation
and in value sell for at the sale of lots in said town.
"Abraham Huff,
"Abraham Boslev,
"Joel Holbert.
"William Hobbs.
"George Boon,
"Locating Commissioners."
"We, the Commissioners as above, do state that we spent each the num-
ber of days affixed to our names: Abraham Huff, 8 days. $24; Abraham
Bosley, 8 days, $24; Joel Holbert, 8 days. $24: William Hobbs, 8 days, $24;
George Boon, 11 days, $33."
PALESTINE FIRST COUNTY SEAT.
At the suggestion of Benjamin Blackwell. the first county seat of Law-
rence county was named "Palestine." The commissioners were given war-
rants for their services and to be paid out of the first money paid in on the
sale of town lots. Under the direction of the county commissioners, early in
May, 1818, County Agent Robert M. Carlton laid out two hundred and
seventy-six lots in Palestine, which were ordered ad\ertised for sale May
25, 1 81 8, in the LouisviUc Correspondent, the Indiana Gazette, the Western
Sun, the Salem Tocsin and the Madison paper. Steps were immediately
taken to build a courthouse and jail.
Thus fairly launched on the sea of a separate county, Lawrence began
to transact her own business, which will be treated in the following chapter.
From time to time, the county has created new townships and changed
the boundaries of other townships, until it is now well sub-divided.
After the first township divisions above mentioned, came the creation of
PALESTINE COURT HOUSE
Drawn from memorj' by the late Alfred C. Hamm, who. as a carpenter's
apprentice, assisted in building it.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 69
Perry township in May, 1822, and Indian Creek township was extended south
to the river. FHnn township was created about that date. That portion of
the county to the south of Fort Ritner, in the bend of the river, was attached
to Bono township. January 23, 1826, Marion township was created, with its
limits eight miles east and west, and from Orange county to the river, north
and south. In June, 1855, Marshall township was created, its limits being
all and no more than congressional township 6 north, range i west; all south-
west of Salt creek was in 1856 attached to Shawswick. In March, 1866, a
petition signed by one hundred and eighty residents of the territory con-
cerned was presented to the commissioners, asking for a new township to
be formed out of Shawswick, Bono and Flinn, asking that the same be called
Morton township, but after much deliberation the township was named Guth-
rie, after an old pioneer family of Lawrence county. It was bounded about
the same as it still exists.
The latest changes in township boundaries in this county was effected in
the winter of 1910-11, when Flinn township met with several changes, which
also affected other townships surrounding it. It was ordered by the board
of county commissioners at their December meeting in 19 10 that the lines be
changed as follows :
"Beginning at the southeast corner of section 35, township 5. range i
east; thence running east to the southeast corner of section 31, township 5
north, range 2 east, thence north to the northeast corner of section 6, town-
ship 5 north, range 2 east ; thence west to the northeast corner of section 2,
township 5 north, range i east, and the territory east of the present bound-
ary line of Shawswick township, including in the aforesaid is added and
annexed and from said date shall be a part of said Shawswick township.
"And be it further ordered, that the boundary line of Guthrie township
in said Lawrence county, Indiana, be and the same is hereby altered and
extended from and after the first day of January, 1911, as follows:
"Beginning at the southeast corner of section 31, township 5 north, range .
2 east: thence north to the northeast corner of section 18, township 5 north,
range 2 east, thence east to the corner of section 15, township 5 north, range
2 east: thence south to the southeast corner of section 34. township 5 north,
range 2 east, and all the territory north of the present line of said Guthrie
township and including within the aforesaid lioundaries hereby annexed to
and after January i. 191 1, will be a part of Guthrie township.
"And be it further ordered that the southern boundary of Pleasant Run
township, Lawrence county, Indiana, on and after Januaj-y i, 1911, be and
the same is hereby altered and extended as follows : Beginning at the north-
■JO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
east corner of section 6. township 5. range 2 east, thence south to the north-
east corner of section 15. township 5 north, range 2 east; thence east to the
northeast corner of section 3. township 5, range 2 east, and that all the terri-
tory south of the present line of said township and included within the afore-
said boundary is hereby annexed to and after said date will be a part of said
Pleasant Run township."
CHAPTER V.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Under a democratic form of government, counties, like states and
nations, must needs have their local organization, and so here in Lawrence
county, after the organization steps were perfected, it remained for the board
of county commissioners and the various county officials to organize such
local government' as would, in their own judgment, best meet the demands of
those pioneer days. The following chapter will treat of the doings of the
commissioners and the county officers, and enter into detail regarding the
building of county buildings and the choice of a permanent seat of justice, etc.
Among the first acts of the county board were the looking into various
petitions for roads and appointing road viewers. The following county tax
levies were made: On each hundred acres of land (first class), thirty-seven
and a half cents; on second class land, thirty-three cents: on third class land,
twenty-two cents. A license was granted to Blackwell & Company to operate
a feriy, at twenty dollars; Towell & -Dixon, for same privilege, same rate;
also one very early, to Milroy & Collins, at six dollars ; horses were taxed
thirty-seven and a half cents each.
In August, of the first year, meetings were lield at Palestine. John
Lowerv was ])aid t]iirtv-se\ en dollars for countv record books. A seal was
adopted, being a scrawl with the words "Commissioner's Seal." Numerous
roads were ]jrojected and superintendents ai:)pointed. John Brown, John
Milroy and John Lowrey assisted in the survey of Palestine. The following
ferry rates w ere established : Wagon and fciur horses, seventy-five cents, and
on each extra horse six and a foiutb cents ; a two-wheeled, one-horse vehicle,
twelve and a half cents; with a lead horse, six and a fourth cents more;
each i^erson over twehe years, six and a fourth cents: under twelve, two
cents; sheep, each, one and a half cents; hogs, one cent each. The tavern
rates were fixed at: Each meal, twenty-five cents; bed. twehe and a half cents;
liorse over night, fifty cents; single feed, tweh'e anr] a half cents.
The second sale (^f lots was held in Palestine in November. Robert
Mitchell, who listed the county in iSt8 instead of James Stotts, Jr., was paid
thirty dollars. The sherifif under whose .supervision the elections of February
and April, i8r8, were held, was paid twenty-two dollars.
72 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA.
Early in 1819 the board adopted a seal for Lawrence county, which was
designed with a harp, a plow and three sheaves of wheat, and a pair of scales,
and a weathercock on top.
Andrew Evans, contractor, cleared off the public square at old Palestine,
for which he was allowed thirty-eight dollars. Up to this time court had
been held at the house of James Benefield. In 1819 the tax on each hundred-
acre tract of land was thirty-seven, thirty-three and twenty-five cents, re-
spectively. Robert Mitchell was paid thirty-two dollars for listing the county
in 1819. It was during that year that the work of pushing the courthouse to
completion went forward. In November, 1819, County Agent Carlton re-
ported total receipts for town lots, $6,579.38; paid to the county treasurer,
$5,303.56; paid to the county library, $657.93; balance on hand. $618.09.
For some reason now unknown, the county agent failed to make a satisfactory
settlement with the board and was removed. William Templeton being ap-
pointed to take his place ; Carlton refused to settle with him, or to turn over
the funds to him. Then Winthrop Foote, attorney was engaged by the
county to commence action at law on his bond. Finally, County Agent
Carlton made a sufficient showing and was allowed to hold the responsible
position of agent for more than thirty years consecutive years.
John Brown took the census in 1820. Isaac Farris furnished a house in
which court was held in March, 1820. The following bills allowed county-
agent in 1820 may be of interest to the reader of these later years :
Laying out lots in Palestine $132.00
Selling 249 lots, giving bond, etc i3-50
Drawing 432 notes at six and a fourth cents 27.00
Superintending erection of temporary court house 7.00
Taking Bonds, advertising courthouse, etc 10.00
Taking Bonds, advertising jail, etc 6.00
Letting the clearing of the public square 4.00
Letting the Building of the stray pen 2.00
Total $201.50
By the 3rd of February, 182 1, the sale of lots amounted to $17,580;
cash, $8,639; notes, $5,551 ; due bills, $2,927. It was early in that year that
Allen Brock was appointed inspector of flour, beef and pork. Much of the
money received for the town lots was in the shape of bills of all the banks
of the Southwest, the value of which was variable and at all times exceed-
PRESENT SITE OF OLD PALESTINE COURT HOUSE
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. J^
ingly doubtful. In 182 1 the county had on hand several hundred dollars of
very doubtful bills, which were sold to the highest bidder. Mbney affairs in
these davs were not what we find them today, with all the fault some citizens
find with the banking system of this country. In June, 1821, $49 in counter-
feit bills, taken in by mistake, were burned by the county board ; also $126.50
in doubtful bills were sold at auction for $29.98. In connection with this
incident the record has the following entry: "Ordered that William Kelsey
(treasurer) be paid out of the treasury', out of moneys arising from the sale
of town lots in Palestine, the sum of three dollars for liquor furnished by
him and for his attendance at the sale of uncurrent money belonging to the
county." The county agent was ordered to receive nothing but specie for
debts due the county, but this order was soon rescinded. Robert Mitchell
was county lister (assessor) for the years from 1818 to 1821, inclusive.
Among the great cases in the circuit court about the time last named was that
of the State against James Chess, for counterfeiting gold coin.
In August, 1822. Samuel Dale was appointed agent to have a well dug
on the public square at Palestine. John Brown made the first map of Law-
rence county, for which he received two dollars.
In 1823 all inn-keepers were compelled to adhere to the following
charges : Meals, twenty-five cents ; lodgings, six and a fourth cents ; one half
pint of French brandy, twenty-five cents; one half pint rum, eighteen and
three-fourths cents; half pint of wine, twenty-five cents; half pint of apple
or peach brandy, twelve and a half cents ; one half pint of whisky was six
and a fourth cents ; horse feed over night, twenty-five cents : single feed for
one horse, twelve and a half cents.
RE-LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT.
Notwithstanding the elevated position in which Palestine, the first seat
of justice of the county, had been located in, it was decided very unhealthy,
as many deaths had occurred within a brief space of time after its settlement.
This led to the demand for a change of location, which was seized upon by
speculators, no doubt in the near-by section of country, and these men greatly
exaggerated the condition at Palestine. The matter finally came up in the
Legislature and that body appointed a new commission to re-locate the county
seat. This act was approved February 9, 1825. The subjoined is the report
of such commissioners :
"To the Board of Justices of the County of Lawrence, State of Indiana:
The subscribers, being the commissioners appointed by an act of the General
74 LAWRENCIi AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Assembly of the said State entitled 'An act appointing commissioners to re-
locate the seat of justice of Lawrence county,' approved February 9, 1825,
make the following report, to-wit : That we all met at Palestine of said
county of Lawrence, on the second Monday of March, instant, were duly
sworn as the law prescribes for the faithful performance of our duties, and
immediately proceeded to the discharge of the same and have continued in
from day to day until the present time, and have obtained by donation the
following described tract or parcel of land for the permanent seat of justice
of said county, to-wit : Beginning on the dividing line of sections 23 and 24.
in township 5 north, range i west, one hundred poles south of the corner of
sections 23, 24, 13 and 14; thence west one hundred and sixty poles to a stake;
thence north two hundred poles ; thence east one hundred and sixty poles to a
stake on the line (li\iding sections 13 and 14; thence soutli two hundred poles
to the beginning, containing two hundred acres of land, for which said tract
we have taken a bond for conveyance to the board of justices of said county,
as the law provides, within twelve months from the date hereof in the penal
sum of twentv thousand dollars, conditioned also that the donors shall within
six months from the re-location or survey of said town plat, dig and stone
on the public square of said town a well of living and dural^le water, and
within the same time erect and finish in a suitable manner a temporary court-
house of hewn logs to be at least of equal dimensions with the old temporary
courthouse at Palestine, which bond is executed by Samuel F. Irwin, Joseph
Glover, John Owens. Reul^en Kilgore, Moses Woodruff and Lsaac Stewart as
principals, and Moses Fell, Joseph Rawlins, Robert M. Carlton, Marquis D.
Knight, John D. Laughlin and Joseph Lowery, as sureties, and which we now
give to the board as a part of our report. We have therefore agreed on the
tract of land before mentioned and selected the same for the permanent seat
of justice of said county. We have also valued the donation which was
given to said county of Lawrence for the county seat at Palestine, agreeably
to the provisions of the act aforesaid mentioned, and have appraised the valua-
tion thereof at the sum of three dollars per acre. In witness whereof we have
hereunto set our hands this 9th day of March, A. D. 1825.
"Jonathan Lyon,
"Amassa Joselyn,
"John Ketchum,
"William A^arshall,
"E. S. Riley."
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 75
Immediately after the report of the re-locating commission, arrangements
were made to impro\e the new county seat location, and to dispose of the
town lot interests in the old town of Palestine. The name Bedford was
selected for the new county seat. The ground for a ])uhlic square was
ordered cleared off. At that date the business of the counties in Indiana
was conducted by a board of justices, who assisted the county agent to lay
out the new county seat town, Bedford. This was accomplished March 30,
1825. Roads \yere then projected in almost every direction from the new
town site, like the spokes in a wagon wheel. The county clerk was directed
to remove his office to Bedford at the earliest moment after the completion
of the temporary courthouse. Committees were appointed to appraise the
values of the lots in both the old and new town, according to legitimate enact-
ment, so that no lot owner in the former seat of justice should be the loser by
the change. The county buildings located at Palestine were ordered leased to
merchants there and to others. N^umerous claims were filed against the
county, differences in valuations in the two places being the main issues. The
men who had originally donated the lands were to receive three dollars per
acre for their lands. Every lot owner in Palestine could claim a correspond-
ing lot in Bedford by complying with the law. Many did not do this at first
through neglect and ignorance of the inevitable consequences, so finally the
Legislature passed the following act as a means of honorable relief to the
suffering parties :
"Be it enacted, etc. — That John Rawley and all such uther i)ersons, their
heirs and legal representatives and lawful attorneys, as may have been, on
the 9th day of Febmary, 1825, owners of any lot or lots in the town of Pales-
tine in Lawrence county, for which the purchase money has been paid to the
agent of said county, and who may have neglected to apply for the benefit of
the act to which this act is supplemental, shall and may within eighteen months
from the first day of February, apply for an exchange of lot or lots so by him
or them owned in said town of Palestine, for the corresponding lot or lots in
the town of Bedford, according to the provisions of this act. .And if such
corresponding lot or lots shall ha\'e been .sold, such owner or owners shall be
entitled to receive from the county treasury of said county by order drawn
by the board of justices of said county, the price such corresponding lot or lots
sold for." Approved December 26, 1828.
INTERESTING ITEMS.
The county records were hauled from Palestine to Bedford by Richard
Evans.
76 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The public well on the square in Bedford was completed in September,
1825.
Abraham Music was allowed twenty-nine dollars and fifty cents for clear-
ing the public square of trees and grubs in Bedford.
In May, 1826, the townships were all laid off into road districts. That
year brass clocks, watches and pinch-back jewelry were taxed for the first time
in this county.
Samuel S. Francis was paid fifty-five dollars for a pump in the well on
the public square.
In 1827 it was found necessary to bring suit on the bonds of the donors
of land to the county at Bedford, to enforce the signing of the deeds of con-
veyance. Town orders were received in payment for town lots. Consider-
able monev commenced to be paid out for wolf scalps.
In 1830 the county agent was authorized to dispose of the prop>erty held
at Palestine by the county. He was allowed to sell on credit in case no better
terms could be made with purchasers.
In September, 1831, the Legislature re-established three county com-
missioners instead of the board of justices.
John Brown was employed to make the second county map of Lawrence
county; this one was to show all the streams within the county, also the sec-
tion lines.
The postoffice. that had been kept in the county clerk's office for several
years up to 1834, was then ordered removed to other quarters.
The first sale of lots in Bedford was in June, 1826, and amounted to only
one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine dollars, and two hundred old dol-
lars of this was not realized. Of course the sale was necessarily smaller than
at Palestine, owing to the even exchange of lots to men who had purchased
over there.
In 1840 the rate of liquor license was placed as follows: Bedford. $40;
Leesville, $40 : Bono. $30 : Lawrenceport. $30 ; Fayetteville, $30 : Springville,
$30; Paris, $25; Port William. $25; Pinhook, $25; Helton's store. $25 (this
was in Pleasant Run township), and each of all other places in the county $25.
That year a fence was constructed around the courthouse by Rol^ert M.
Alexander and William Stone, at a cost of S140. Richard Butler was paid
$100 for laving a stone pavement around the public square. The several
banking brokers who held offices in Bedford in those days had to put up a
hundred dollars a year to do business. The county had a surplus in 1840 of
$10,202.91, and it was in the hands of George G. Dunn.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. JJ
In 1845 the Masonic lodge was allowed the use of the jury room once
each week, at nightime.
In 1848 the county offices were built by B. F. Huston. All shows and
dances were then excluded from the courthouse. In 185 1 all secret orders,
including the Masons and Sons of Temperance, were excluded from the court-
house. A lot owned by the county library in Bedford was sold in 185 1. In
1853, G. A. Thornton, county clerk, was paid seventeen dollars for registering
seventeen slaves, negroes and mulattoes.
In the month of August, 1861, the first year of the Civil war struggle,
the county board began to furnish means from the county treasury for the
relief of the soldiers' families ; but it was not long before this act was not
approved by many within the county, hence the question was submitted to the
people at the 1861 October general election, and was approved of by a large
majority who voted to sustain the appropriations. Under the call of Decem-
ber, 1864, for more volunteers, Lawrence county's quota was one hundred
and forty-nine men. To raise this number of men a bounty of one hundred
dollars was offered by the board for each volunteer, and bonds to the amount
of fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars were ordered sold. Large amounts
of funds were distributed for the relief and keeping of soldiers' families. In
this the county acted liberally and \yisely, notwithstanding there were not a
few who showed their hatred for the Union cause by trying to thwart the
plans of the loyal men and women of the county.
The records of the board show that in 1868 the commissioners paid one
hundred and fifty dollars for a new county map for each of the leading county
officers.
In the summer of 1869 it was decided to commence preparations for the
erection of a larger courthouse.
COURTHOUSE HISTORY.
Of the various courthouses built and owned by Lawrence county, it may
be said that the first was the temporary log house erected in the spring of
1818, at Palestine, which was ordered built twenty by twenty-four feet of
hewed logs "that will face one foot front," and to be two stories high, "built
in a good and workmanlike manner," with a cabin roof. This building was
completed late in the autumn of 18 18, and was used about two years until the
first real courthouse was erected at Palestine, which was the first county seat
of this county.
78 ^ LAWRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FIRST COURTHOUSE AT PALESTINE.
It was in Xovemher, rSiS, when steps were lirst taken to erect a court-
house at the newly laid out county seat. Palestine. John AIcLane was ap-
pointed to superintend the construction of this building. It was first designed
to be built in (iCTagi mal form, with stone foundation and brick walls, with
forty-five windows of twelve lights each, and to be two stories and "twenty-
three feet to the square." Wisely, in December of that vear, this order was
rescinded. In January. 1S19, the sale of the building of the courthouse was
ordered advertised in the Salem Tocsin, and the Indiana Gazette at Corydon,
the plan of the structure to be drawn l)y Robert ]\I. Carlton and John Lowrey.
It was t() be a two-story brick building, the height of first story to be sixteen
feet and the height of the second storv fourteen feet, the foundation to be of
stone, forty-five b}- forty-five feet, with walls of brick, two feet thick, three
doors, thirty-six windows, four chimneys, six fire hearths, each window to
ha\e twenty- four lights of ten bv twelve each, the judge's bench, to be fifteen
feet long and five feet wide, the building to be surmounted with a cupola bear-
ing an iron rod and two brass balls with a brass eagle between the latter, three
feet from tip to tip. "the liody to be hollow and the eagle to be curiously and
artistically wrought," the building to have four rooms above and to have a
steel lightning rod and a bell weighing three hundred pounds and to be ready
for occupancy within two years. The contractor was to receive one thousand
five hundred dollars in advance, two thousand dollars when the roof w^as on,
and the balance when the building was finished. James Gregory and John
Anderson took the contract, and were allowed the privilege of making brick
and dressing stone on the public square. Work was commenced at once, and
numerous changes in the plans were made from time to time. In February,
1819. the contractors received their advance payment of one thousand five
hundred dollars. Sixteen windows were omitted from the first plans. The
second installment was paid the builders December 17, 1819, showing that the
roof of the structure was on. From that date on, the work lagged, and, for
a reason not now understood, the contractors failed to go ahead with the build-
ing operations, and in July, 1821, the board appointed a committee of three
bricklayers and three masons, William Rodman. Peter Nagel, Lemuel Ford,
James S. Means, John E. Clark and Jabez Anderson, to examine the building
and estimate the value of the work already done. They reported the building
worth $3,670.70. and Samuel D. Bishop was engaged to finish the structure,
which he did in the autumn of 1821 at a cost of $1,791.37. This made the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 79
building cost, all told. $5,500. It was not ready for real occupancy until Aug-
ust, 1822.
The old courthouse was then leased at fifty dollars a year to Kelsey &
Mitchell, merchants. It was weatherboarded and painted a Spanish brown
color. Later the rental was reduced to thirty-three dollars per year.
The history of the Palestine courthouse having been given, the reader will
be interested to know of the change to Bedford, the relocated county seat
town.
FIRST COURTHOUSE AT BEDFORD.
At Bedford, early in 1825 a temporary courthouse was erected of logs,
twenty-two by twenty-six feet, two stories high, and in all ways similar to the
one just mentioned above, as the county's first log courthouse, both being
designed only for temporary use.
The cost of the Bedford building was about five hundred dollars. This
building was used for many purposes for a long period of years. In 1827 it
was weatherboarded by Samuel D. Bishop for thirty-four dollars and sixty-
six cents. No one thought of ])roviding a new courthouse for a number of
years, "let well enough alone" being the policy of the county at that pioneer
date. In 183 1 the board of county commissioners took up the matter of build-
ing a more suitable temple of justice and advertised for bids for a courthouse
similar to the one at Salem. Robert 'SI. ^Mitchell was accordingly sent to
Salem in May, and there obtained complete plans of that structure. The old
buildings at Palestine were ordered sold, the proceeds to be used in the con-
struction of the new building. The contract was finally awarded to John
Lowrey at five thousand dollars, to be paid in three equal installments, except
the one thousand dollars allowed him in advance. His liond, still in the
county records, bears date of May 3. 1831, with W'inthrop Foote. William
Kelsey and Moses Fell as sureties. The contract was carried out to a letter
and the building finished and accepted in May, 1834. This courthouse served
well its purpose until after the Civil war period. In the summer of 1869 the
commissioners looked into the matter of providing Lawrence county with its
FOURTH COURTHOUSE.
Plans were prepared in July, 1869, and the work was let to William and
George Muir for twelve thousand seven hundred dollars. It was advertised
that the old courthouse could be used in the construction of the new. The
contract with the Muirs was not fulfilled, and July t6. 1869, Napoleon B.
8o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Wilson bid to erect the building for sixteen thousand nine hundred dollars,
but he finally withdrew his bid. The record shows that on August ii, 1869,
Thomas N. Stevens and Thomas A. Whitted proposed to erect the structure
for eighteen thousand three hundred dollars, and gave bonds to fulfill such
contract. It was just at that time that a strong pressure was brought to bear
on the commissioners to locate the building at some other point in the city
of Bedford, claiming that the noise and dirt occasioned by the nearby Monon
railroad (as now known) was objectionable. Other reasons advanced were
that the old buildings, if torn down, would not be of the value they might
be if left standing, to lease, etc., for business purposes. The commissioners
finally went so far as to purchase Lot No. 27 of W. C Winstandley for seven
hundred dollars and Lot No. 28 of Clarissa Acoam for one thousand dollars,
intending to erect the building thereon. The matter did not materialize until
in April, 1870, when the board were petitioned to erect the house on the
public square, and a donation of about one thousand five hundred dollars was
tendered as an inducement, which offer was accepted by the board. But with
this change there came a demand for a better structure, and hence new plans
were drawn, and a contract entered into with Thomas N. Stevens for the erec-
tion of a court house to cost $75,000, including the two lots 27 and 28, which
had been bought by the board as before stated and which were turned over to
Stevens for one thousand seven hundred dollars. Prior to this, however,
Hall & Harrison had laid the foundation for the courthouse at an expense of
about $8,000. In September, 1870, courthouse bonds were issued to the
amount of $10,000, bearing ten per cent, interest and sold at par. June 5,
1871, the courthouse bonds to the amount of $50,000, in denominations of
$1,000 each, bearing ten per cent, interest, $12,000 due in two years, $12,000
in three years, $13,000 in four years and $13,000 in five years, were issued and
sold at par, $48,000 to Joseph Rawlins and $2,000 to E. D. Pearson. With
the sale of bonds, the work went forward rapidly and the building was com-
pleted in 1872. The old courthouse was sold in June, 1871, to Davis Har-
rison for $1,100. In September, 1872, bonds were floated to the amount of
$7,000, with which money the county graded and made suitable the public
square. These bonds only run nine months, when they were redeemed. This
building was constructed of the celebrated Bedford stone (St. Louis gray
limestone), and cost, everything included, about $100,000. This is the pres-
ent courthouse, and holds its age remarkably well. While the architecture
would not be selected today, it was well planned for the date in which it was
erected and has been a comfortable, safe home for the various county officials
during all these two score and more years.
PRESENT BEDFORD COURT HOUSE
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 8l
HISTORY OF COUNTY JAILS.
The hrst jail in Lawrence county was constructed in ]\Iay, 1818, and
the building was both a jail and jailor's house. It was at old Palestine and
was built under the bid of Thomas Beagle>-. It was about fifteen by seven-
teen feet in size and two stories high, of heavy logs one foot square, eight
feet between floors, lined with heavy planks spiked on perpendicularly. In
February, 18 19, Thomas Beagley was paid one thousand dollars on his
contract, and in August, 1819, five hundred dollars more, but then the work
dropped. In 1820, on petition of twelve citizens, suit was brought upon the
contractor's bond, which, after search, could not be found, and therefore
proceedings were suspended. The committee appointed to value the court
house also placed a valuation on the "gaol and gaoler's house." making a
reduction of two hundred and thirty-seven dollars on the contract price,
which was two thousand dollars. The balance due was paid and the build-
ing immediately completed.
The second jail was proposed ten years later, 1828, and in May of that
year proposals were called for to build a jail in Bedford and in July the con-
tract was let to Samuel D. Bishop for six hundred dollars. This house was
of logs, and was paid for in installments of two hundred dollars, and finished
late in 1829. It was used for many years and had it been gifted with the
power of speech what a tale it could have told of life among the lowly and
lawless.
The third jail of this county was the one known as the "1858 Jail.'' In
December, 1857, the work of building a new jail and jailor's residence was
commenced. Specifications were made calling for a brick jailor's house and a
stone jail to be built together, and proposals were called for. During that
winter the contract was awarded to John X. Miller at nine thousand nine
hundred dollars, and early spring found the work being pushed forward. It
became necessary to issue county bonds to the amount of four thousand three
hundred dollars. The building was completed in September, 1859. This served
the needs of the county until 1904, when jail bonds were floated to the
amount of thirty-three thousand dollars, with which the present massive
stone jail and sheriff's house were built. It is but a few blocks to the south-
west of the public square.
THE COUNTY ASYLUM.
"The poor ye always have with you." is as true today as when spoken
by the Master nearlv two thousand vears ago. The care given the unfortun-
(6) ' '
82 LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ate poor in any communit)' bespeaks the true character of the people of such
community. Here in Lawrence county the records show that a year after
the organization of the county. 1819, there ^yas an order issued by the au-
thorities to pay to James H. Johnson, of Bono township, who furnished the
first relief to the poor of this county. The order called for thirty dollars.
The pauper was Matthew Rose, who continued upon the county for several
years. The same year Air. Johnson received twenty-nine dollars more for
such relief and Dr. Winthrop Foote received five dollars for medical attend-
ance upon this poor person. .Soon afterwards each township had a person
appointed and known as the overseer of the poor. He hunted out the poor
persons within his township and farmed them out to the lowest responsible
bidders, received and audited the expense accounts of the keeper, and sent
the bills to the county board for final allowance. In 1820 there was spent
for paupers $73.20, and in 1822, $103. In 1825 the amount was $122;
1827, $130; 1830,- $157: 1833, $187. and in 1835, $467. By this time the
poor had come to be a burden to the taxpayers of the young county. Dr.
John C. Cavins was appointed county physician at about this date.
The first poor asylum was provided for in June. 1842, when William
Newland was appointed agent to purchase a site fur a poor asylum, in
amount not to exceed a quarter section of land, nor not less than eighty
acres, and to be within eight miles of Bedford. By the fall of that year he
had purchased a hundred-and-sixty-acre tract of Greenbury Owens, for
eight hundred dollars. There was on this fami an ordinary dwelling, which
was at once refitted and new floors provided for the rooms, and Mr. Owens
appointed superintendent of the poor, he being provided with all needful
articles by the county board. Dr. Winthrop Foote was engaged as county
physician at one dollar per visit, medicines to be paid for extra. In March.
1843, tliere were seven inmates in this institution for the keeping of the
county's poor. Owens filed his bills, which were paid by the board, the bill
of March, 1S43, being ninety-seven dollars and thirty-five cents for the
quarter for pork, lard, corn, coflfee, sugar, dressed deer-skins, etc. One cold
night, James Bird, an inmate, AAandered away from the asylum and was
found frozen to death later. In 1846 new and improved arrangements were
enacted for the caring for the paupers at this place. In 1845-46 the expense
was greatly reduced and only amounted to about one hundred and sixty-
five dollars. Messrs. Fredman, Malott and Owens were then superintend-
ents. In 1847 ^1"^ apple and peach orchard, also cherry trees, were planted
out on tlie poor farm. There were only seven inmates in the asylum in 1847.
In 1849 ^ iiew roof was put on the poor farm, or asylum as it is now styled.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 83
In 1 85 1 there was a new building erected on the farm by Levi Overman,
costing $790, and was moved into in November of that year. At that date a
visiting committee has charge of the asyhim and farm. The expense of the
place in 1855-56 was $1,619. Each permanent pauper cost the county $80
per year in those times. The rules of maintaining this institution remained
the same from 1855 until about 1869. The cost of keeping the poor in
1859-60 was $2,132; 1862-63, $1,941. In 1867 the farm rent was free to the
superintendent and he was allowed $140 a year to keep each permanent
pauper. In 1864-65 the expense had grown to $4,412; 1868 it was $5,004.
In 1873 there were eighteen paupers in the asylum. Early in the seventies
Archibald Anderson was paid $1,700 to erect a new frame poor house. It
was two stories high. In 1S84 there were thirty inmates in the asylum.
Among the superintendents of this institution may be recalled the fol-
lowing: Greenbury Owens, 1842 on for a number of years; James W.
Freeman. John Colwell and Owens served jointly for some time. In 1846
M. A. Malott was superintendent. In 1847 came J. T. Woodward; Jonathan
Loveall was superintendent three years in the forties. In 1857-58 Daniel
Baker was superintendent: then came John Henderson, 1859-60: W. C.
Mitchell, 1861-70: William Day from 1870 on into the eighties.
The state reports show that in 191 1 the poor relief fund amounted to
$3,067. The receipts from the farm that year was only $249.50.
The present superintendent is Clay Tirey, who is paid a salary and all
supplies purchased for the asylum are by bidders among the merchants in the
county. The same old asylum buildings that were named above are still in
use by the county.
FINANCES OF THE COUNTY.
Like individuals, counties are known by their financial standing. No
record of the finances of Lawrence can be given for the earlier years, as the
records have long since been scattered. For the year 1833 the total receipts
of the county was v$3.i45 and the expenditures for that year were, elections,
$12.75; wolf scalps, $3.00; poor, $187; attorneys, $40; county board, $48;
bailiffs, $41.50; third payment on court house. $1,333: jailors fees, $32.31;
assessor's fees, $50: fuel. $19.50: the pay of road viewers, $3.00: contested
election, $14: road supervisors, $102.25: associate judges. $36.00: grand
jurors, $67 ; petit jurors, $88 : delinquencies. S246 : treasurer's fees, $79 ;
collector's fees. $161: orders redeemed, $450: cash on hand, $123.27.
At the end of 1835 tlie county treasurer had on hand $271.65. At the
close of 1845 there was a balance on hand of $1,415, and the expenses of the
84 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
county .that year had been $3,541. In 1850 the county's expense was $2,730
and the year closed with a balance on hand of $1,352; in 1853 t^''^ balance
on hand was $809; in 1856 the county expended for all purposes, $5,170,
and had on hand at the close of the year $1,669; in i860 the cash left on
hand, after spending $13,203, was $4,836; in 1863 there was on hand, after
paying out $7,821, the sum of $6,679; i" 1868, after paying out expenses,
$36,988, the sum of $8,998; in 1870 there was on hand $4,098, after paying
the running expenses of $26,987; in 1873 there was on hand $11,932,
after paying out $36,141. In 1875-76 there was on hand $22,140; in 1877-78
there were receipts amounting to bridge bond sales, $19,800; county revenue,
$49,701 ; bridges, $23,402; county officers, $3,983; balance on hand, $1,454.
In 1884 the county indebtedness amounted to $68,248.00, according to the
account kept by Auditor Isaac H. Crim.
With the passing of years and the growth of the county the expenses
have necessarily grown higher. The matter of providing modern roads,
bridges, schools and many other internal improvements have all added to
the expenses and made the amounts collected much greater.
For example, as early as 18 19 a bridge two hundred and eighty feet
long and sixteen feet wide was built over Guthrie creek on the Palestine and
Bono road, at a cost of over $2,000. The next bridge of importance was over
Salt creek, built in 1832-33, at a cost of $1,258; various other bridge struc-
tures prior to 1870 cost the county $25,000. From that date up to 1884 the
main bridges of Lawrence county were the Salt Creek, in 1870, $2,400;
White River, at Davis Ferry, $27,000; \Vhite River, at Tunnelton, $27,000;
White River, at Dawson's Ferry. $25,000: White River, at Williams' Ferry,
$19,000. These bridges were all built nearly thirty years ago. and many if
not all have now been replaced by better structures and have cost vast sums
of money. Then the improvement of the roads of the county has called for
an endless number of bridges, large and small, which have to be kept in good
repair by the taxpayers of the county.
The financial statement of the county officers for 191 1 gives this exhibit:
Total receipts of treasurer, $136,511.91; total expenditures. $96,532.02. The
county's debt in 1911 was, for county bonds, $83,000: the amount on hand
was $35,801. and the net debt amounted to $47,198.00.
In Januan-. 19 12. there were gravel roads in Lawrence county to the
amount of three hundred and sixtj^-five miles. The cost of repairs on these
roads at that time was about $36,722 per year. The total outstanding road
bonds December 31, 191T, was $354,805.00.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 85
ASSESSED VALUATION IN I912.
The assessed valuations of property in Lawrence county, by townships,
in 1912, less exemptions, was as follows: Bono township, $406,910; Flinn
township, $290,000; Guthrie township, $889,185; Indian Creek township,
$945,075; Marion township, $1,662,915; Marshall township, $1,112,195;
Perry township, $409,845 ; Pleasant Run township. $689,820 ; Shawswick
township, $1,796,435 ; Spice Valley township, $692,635.
CHAPTER VI.
COUNTY, STATE AND NATIONAL POLITICAL REPRESENTATION.
While it is not the aim of the writer to go in detail into the political
conditions that have obtained in Lawrence county during its history, yet it
will be well to note the men who have held local and higher offices from this
county, with a few facts concerning the political campaigns, especially the
results in presidential elections, etc.
During the early days in this county the vote was usually Democratic,
and generally by large majorities. The returns for many years were not
preserved, hence it is impossible to note them in this chapter. However, the
votes cast in the fifties, as shown below, will give the reader of today an
understanding of the complexion of politics at that period of the county's
history. When very popular, a Whig candidate sometimes slipped into office,
but generally it was Democrats who held the offices from this portion of
Indiana. The Free Soil movement, of the forties, had but little following
here. From 1858 to i860 the county gradually went toward the Republican
side in politics, and so remained for many years. The Greenback and other
independent parties have also had a respectable following among the voters
of Lawrence county.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
Commencing with 1852, the results at presidential contests have been as
follows: In 1852, the standard bearers of the Democratic party were Pierce
and King, who polled, in this county, a total vote of 1,113, ^-S against the
Whig candidates, Winfield Scott and Graham, who had 1,054 votes in the
county.
In 1856 there were three Presidential candidates in the field. Democratic,
Republican and American parties. The total vote for the first named party,
with Buchanan and Breckenridge as candidates, was 1,126; Fremont and
Dayton, Republican, had 480 votes, and Fillmore and Donelson, of the Ameri-
can party (the "Know Nothings"), polled 660 votes.
In i860 four tickets were in the field. Republican, Democratic, Southern
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 8/
Democrats, and Union party. By townships the vote of that eventful cam-
paign was as follows :
Lincoln, Douglas, Breckenridge, Bell,
Townships. Republican. Democratic. Southern Dem. Union.
Shawswick 317 130 216 61
Bono 80 87 45
Marion 217 167 t,^ 79
Spice Valley 132 91 8 41 '
Indian Creek 96 ^6 50 5
Perry 141 41 23 —
Marshall 79 18 28 12
Pleasant Run 55 96 31 i
Flinn 41 loi 128 4
Total T.I 58 787 525 208
In 1864 the result was : Total in county, for Lincoln and Johnson, Rep.,
1,423; for McClellan and Pendleton, Dem., 1,087.
In 1868, the total vote for Grant and Colfax, Rep., was 1,781 : for Sey-
mour and Blair, Dem., 1,468.
In 1872, Grant and Wilson, Rep., had 1,833. ^"^1 Greeley and Brown,
Liberal Democrat, 1,503.
In 1876, Hayes and Wheeler, Rep., had 1,941, as against Tilden and
Hendricks. Dem., 1,669; Cooper and Cary, Ind., 90.
1880, the three tickets were the Republican, Democratic and Indepen-
dent. The votes cast stood as follows: Garfield and Arthur, Rep., 2,057;
Hancock and English, Dem., 1,701 ; Weaver and Chambers, Ind.. 146.
1884, Blaine and Logan, Rep., 2,336: Cleveland and Hendricks, Dem.,
1,716.
1888, Harrison and Morton, Rep., 2,256; Cle^■eland and Thurman, Dem.,
1,814.
1892, Harrison and Reed. Rep., 2,529: Cleveland and SteA'enson, Dem.,
2.134; Bidwell, Proh.. 34; Weaver, Nat. Dem., 157.
1896, McKinley and Hobart, Rep., 3,103; Bryan and Sewall, Dem.,
2,421; Levering, Proh., 29; Palmer, Nat. Dem., 13.
1900, McKinley and Roosevelt, Rep., 3,535 ; Bryan and Stevenson, Dem.,
2,558.
1904, Roosevelt and Fairbanks. Rep.. 3,924; Parker and Davis. Dem..
88 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
2,672: Swallow. Proh., 97; Thomas E. Watson, Peoples, 11; Socialist, 58;
Socialist Labor, 12.
1908, Taft and Sherman, Rep., 3,834: Bryan and Kern, Dem., 3,118;
Chafin, Proh., 93; Socialist, T19: Social Labor, 4; Independent, 3.
191 2, Taft and Sherman, Rep., 1,631 : Wilson and Marshall, Dem.,
2,579; Roosevelt and Johnson, Prog., 2,106; Proh., 91 ; Socialist, 308; Social
Labor, 33.
STATE SENATORS.
John DePauw, 1S18; James Gregory, 1821 ; Samuel Chambers, 1822;
John Milroy, 1826; John G. Clendenin, 1829: Samuel Chambers, 1832; Rich-
ard W. Thompson, 1836: Gustavus Clark, 1838; George W. Carr. 1841 ; Hugh
Hamer, 1844; M. A. Malott, 1847: George G. Dunn. 1850: * * * ; A. J.
Hostetler, 1855; Thomas R. Cobb (Lawrence and Martin counties). i858';
Aaron Houghton (Martin and Lawrence), 1867: James Hughes (Lawrence
and Monroe), 1869; George W. Friedley (Lawrence and Monroe), 1872;
W. B. F. Treat (Lawrence and Monroe), 1877; William Taylor (Lawrence,
Monroe and Dubois), 1881 ; James H. Willard (Lawrence, Martin and Du-
bois), 1883.
The recent state senators have been : \A^illiam N. McDonald, 1890; Louis
Schneck, 1894; T. J. Brooks. 1898; William N. Matthews, 1902; Henry P.
Pearson, 1906: Oscar Ratts. 1910.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Samuel Chambers (Orange county), 181 8; Joseph Glover, 1822; Vinson
Williams, 1823; William Erwin, 1824; Lewis Roberts, 1826; Vinson Will-
iams, 1828: Pleasant Parks. 1829; Hugh L. Livingston and William B.
Slaughter, 1832; John Brown and Absalom Fields, 1833; Pleasant Parks and
Richard W. Thompson, 1834; R. W. Thompson, Noah Boone, 1835; Vinson
Williams and Noah Boone, 1836 ; Vinson Williams and Melcher Helmer, 1837 ;
M. Hehiier and George W. Carr, 1838; Hugh Hamer and Robert M. Carlton,
1839: H. Hamer and G. W. Carr, 1840; Ralph G. Norvell and John J. Bar-
nett, 1 841 ; same 1842; R. G. Norvell and William Burton, 1843; W. Burton
and Lucian O. Hoggatt, 1844; G. W. Carr and John Edwards, 1845; same
1846; Samuel W. Short, 1847; G. W. Carr. 1848 (speaker of the House) ; G.
W. Carr, 1849; George Lsom, 1850; Melcher Helmer, 1851 ; David S. Lewis,
T852: * - *: D. S. Lewis, 1854; * * *; Robert Boyd, 1856;
Nathaniel \\'illiams, 1861 ; Robert Boyd, 1864; Moses F. Dunn, 1866; Will-
iam H. Edwards. 1872; A. J. Williams, 1874; Alfred Guthrie, 1876; Lycurgus
LAWRENCE AND ]V[ONROE COUNTIES
Dalton, 1878: Joseph Gardner, 1880; James McClelland, 18S2: J. H. Willard.
1888: E. A. Gleazen, 1890; Stewart, 1894: Porter, 1894; T. J. Brooks. 1896;
R. B. Scott, 1898; S. Adamson, 1900; John H. Edwards, 1902: Edwards.
1904; Edwards, 1906; Calvin Paris, 1910: William E. Patton, 1912.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
John Anderson. March, 1818; Samuel W. Biggs. 1819; William Kelsey.
1819; Rollin C. Dewe}', 1822; Ezekiel Blackwell, 1823; Rollin C. Dewey,
1824; John Brown. 1828; R. C. Dewey, 1829; Francis F. Williams, 1831 ;
Edward C. Moberly, 1832: William Templeton, 1834; A. H. Dunihue, 1835;
Joseph Rawlins, 1836; Winthrop Foote, 1839; John W. Thompson, 1841 ;
Henry Davis, 1853; George Sheeks, 1856; Dean Barnes, 1858; Thomas H.
Malott, 1862: Hugh Erwin, 1864: John B. Glover, 1868: Robert Kelly. 1872;
E. C. Newland, 1874: F. A. Sears, 1877^ J. D. Moore, 1880; Robert Kelly,
1882. Robert Kelly, 1884; J. McClelland, 1888; J. N. Daggy, 1890; J. N.
Daggy, 1892; J. N. Daggy, 1894; J. N. Daggy, 1896: Brown, 1898;
William H. West, 1900: William H. West, 1902; Curtis E. Ray, 1904; Curtis
E. Ray, 1906; B. Frank Pitman, 1908; B. Frank Pitman. 19T0: Lincoln Bur-
ton, 1912.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
Robert C. Stotts, March 2, 1818: John Lowrey, 1819; John Brown, 1829;
John Vestal, 1831; John Lowrey, 1845: Andrew Gelwick, 1852; Charles G.
Berry, i860: W. A. Mathes. 1864: John F. Richards, 1868; William Erwin.
Jr., 1875; William En\nn, 1880; James H. McPheeters. 1884: James H. Mc-
Pheeters, 1888: Frank B. Hitchcock, 1892; Keithley, 1896: Charles
H. Allen, 1904; Charles H. Allen, 1908; Thomas N. Chapman, 1912.
COUNTY CLERKS.
John Lowrey, 1818: John Brown, 1829; Robert Mitchell, 1832: Gustavus
Clark, 1845; George A. Thornton, 1852; David Harrison, i860: John Riley,
1864: John M. Stalker, 1872: Roljert H. Carlton, 1880; Thomas V. Thornton,
1884 ; Thomas V. Thornton, 1888 : Isaac H. Crim, 1892 ; Isaac H. Crim, 1896 ;
Boone Leonard, 1900; Boone Leonard, 1904; Elbert J. Stalker, 1908: Fred
E. Jackson, 191 2. . ■
90 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
Before 1841, the clerk was ex-officio auditor. John Peters, 1841 ; James
A. Pender, 1855; John M. Harson, 1859; Andrew Gelwick, 1863; Charles T.
Woolfolk, 1867: J. E. Dean, 1874; Isaac H. Crim, 1878; Isaac H. Crim, 1882;
J. R. Overman, 1886; J. B. Mallott, 1890; J. B. Mallott, 1894; John M.
Gainey, 1898; Walter G. Owens, 1902; Walter G. Owens. 1906; Ezra W.
Edwards, 19 10.
SHERIFFS.
Joseph Glover, 1818; Moses Fell, 1882; Joseph Glover, 1826; Robert
Mitchell, 1828: Joseph Glover, 1831 ; Isaac Fish, 1835; Lucian O. Hoggatt,
1841; Felix L. Raymond, 1843; Andrew Gelwick, 1847; Jesse K ,
1851 ; William W. Cook, 1852; Thomas S. Enochs, 1852; Dixon Cobb, 1855;
E. S. Thompson, 1856; J. R. Glover, 1858; Joseph Tincher, 1862; William
Daggy, 1864; V. V. Williams. 1868; Isaac Newkirk, 1872; M. A. Burton,
1876; F. T. Dunihue, 1878; J. M. McDowell, 1882; William Day, 1886; Will-
iam Day, 1888; R. W. Day, 1890; George W. Holmes, 1892; George W.
Holmes, 1894; E. R. Dobbins. 1896; E. R. Dobbins, 1898; James F. Smith,
1900; James F. Smith, 1902; Thomas W. Box, 1904; Thomas W. Box, 1906;
James L. Gyger, 1908; William H. Sitler. 1910; WiUiam H. Sitler, 1912.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Robert Mitchell, 1818; William Duncan, 1828; Boliver Duncan, 1852;
Lycurgus Duncan, 1858; Dodridge Short, 1870; John B. Mallott, 1872; John
Mallott, 1874; J. B. Mallott. 1876; John B. Mallott, 1878; John Mallott,
1880; John B. Mallott, 1880; John B. Mallott, 1884: L. Duncan, 1886; L.
Duncan, 1888; L. Duncan, 1890; Heniy Mclntire, 1892; Henry Mclntire,
1894; L. Duncan, 1896; Quincy Short, 1898; Noble McPheeters, 1902;
Ernest Hunter, 1902; William M. James, 1906; William M. James, 1908;
William H. Field, 1910; HeniT- Kindred, 1912.
PROBATE JUDGES.
Benjamin Blackwell. 1824; William Erwin, 1829; Rollin C. Dewey,
1832; Asher Wilcox, 1833; William Duncan, 1836; Isaac N. Senter, 1844;
William Newland, 1846.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 9I
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
John Milroy and William Erwin. 1818; William Field, 1890, vice
Milroy; Joseph Athon, 1831 ; Pleasant Padget, 1831 ; Elzy Woodward, 1835;
John Whitted, 1838; Joseph Hostetler, 1841; Alexander Butler, 1845; .lohn
Whitted, 1849; Zachariah Whitted, 185 1.
COUNTY JUDGES.
Judges court common pleas: Jeremiah Bundy, i860; William Herod,
1868; Archibald C. Voris (circuit court), 1870; E. D. Pearson (circuit
court), 1878; E. D. Pearson, 1884; H. C. Duncan, 1890; W. H. Martin,
1896; James Benjamin Wilson, 1902; James B. Wilson, 1908; Joseph Shea,
1910; Oren O. Swails, 1912.
COUNTY PROSECUTORS.
Ambrose B. Carlton, i860; Archibald C. Voris, 1868; Joseph Throop
(circuit court), 1870; Wilson Swingle (circuit court), 1870; George G.
Dunn, 1876; W. H. Edwards, 1878; L. Duncan, 1880; J. E. Henley, 1882;
J. E. Henley, 1884; Simpson Lowe, 1886; S. B. Lowe, 1890; Edmondson,
1892; Edmondson, 1894; J. A. Zaring, 1896; J. A. Zaring, 1898; Robert G.
Miller. 1900; Robert G. Miller, 1902; Fred N. Fletcher, 1904; Fred N.
Fletcher, 1906; John H. Underwood. 1908; William M. Louden, 1910; John
H. Underwood.
SCHOOL EXAMINERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS.
Wiley Dixon, Newton F. Malott and James T. Shields, 1858; Newton
F. Malott, Eli Baldwin and Wiley Dixon, 1859; A. C. Vorhis, John L.
Stewart and Dodridge Short, i860; W. N. Bullett, A. C. Vorhis and Dod-
ridge Short, 1861 ; George Sheeks, June, 1861, under new law for three
years alone. A. D. Lemon, September, 1861, vice Sheeks, gone to the war;
J. M. Stalker, 1866; William M. May, 1867; James B. Crowe. 1868; William
B. Chrisler, 1872; James P. Funk, 1873; first superintendent, William B.
Chrisler. 1874; e/ B. Thornton, 1879; W. B. Chrisler, 1881 ; W. D.
Ellison, 1883; G. M. Morman, W. E. Stipp, R. W. Tirey, L. B. Sanders.
02 LAWREN'CE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Thomas Henton, i8r8; Peter Hannason, 1819; Joseph RawHns, 1820;
Samuel F. Irwin. 1824: T. H. Briggs, 1826; Elbert Jeter, 1828; Russell
Mitchell, 1832: E. P. Kennedy, 1833; Lewis Younger, 1837; E. P. Kennedy,
1841 ; James W. Freeman. 1843; Henry Anderson, 1847; L. W. Thompson,
1850; Henry C. Hardy. 1852; Christian Seibert, 1854; Henry Anderson,
1856; William A. Cook. 1857: J. P. Potter, i860: H. C. Hardy. 1861 ; John
Reath. 1863; A. G. Young, 1864: Charles Cramer, 1865: W. C. Carson,
1867; Lewis Younger, 1870: Joseph Stinehazen. 1872; Ezekiel Stout, 1874;
Joseph Stinehazen. 1876; Alfred C. Harrison, 1877; Alfred Hamm, 1878;
A. C. Hamm. 1880: A. C. Hamm. 1882: Hamilton Stilson. 1884; Julian
Calonge, 1886: J. C. Pearson, 1888; J. C. Pearson. 1890; James Pearson,
1892; Dr. Rariden, 1894: Harvey Voyles, 1896; Harvey Voyles, 1898;
Perry Woolery. 1890; Richard E. Plummer, 1902: Richard E. Plummer,
1904: Harvey Voyles, 1906; Harvey Voyles, 1908: George L. Gibbons,
1910; Thomas L. Harris, 1912.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
Ambrose Carlton. Thomas Beazley and James Stotts. March. 1818;
James Fulton. 1819. vice Carlton: Richard Williams, 1819. vice Fulton;
James Wagoner, 1820, vice Stotts: James S. Mitchell, 1820. vice Wagoner;
Benjamin Blackwell, 1821, vice Beazley; Winthrop Foote. 1821. vice Black-
well; William McLain. 1821. vice Williams: Moses Lee. 1822. vice McLain ;
John R. Crooke. 1823. vice Mitchell: John D. Laughlin. 1823. vice Foote;
John Brown. 1824. vice Crooke: Winthrop Foote. 1824. vice Laughlin. In
September. 1824. the justices of the peace took the place of the county com-
missioners in the transaction of county business, but were replaced by the
following commissioners in September. 1831 : Samuel F. Irwin, Absalom
Fields, John Newland, 1831 ; Hugh Hamer, 1833, vice Fields; Joseph Raw-
Hns, 1834, vice Irwin; Vinson Williams. 1835. vice Rawlins; Thomas Lemon
and William Fish. 1836. vice Williams and Newland: William Johnson,
1838. vice Lemon; Felix G. Rawdins. 1839, vice Hamer; Vinson R. Williams,
1840, vice Fish; Thomas Dixon, 1841, vice Johnson; Ephraim Brock, 1842,
vice Rawlins; Vinson Williams, 1843: Thomas Dixon, 1844: Ephraim Brock,
1845; Vinson Williams, 18^16; Thomas Dixon. 1847: David S. Lewis, 1848,
vice Brock; Abraham Kern. 1849. vice Williams: Thomas Dixon, 1850;
Tohn Rains, i8m. vice Lewis: David Mclntire. i8;2. vice Kern: Thomas
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. yj
Dixon, 1853; Uriah Dilley, 1854. vice Mclntire; John Rains, 1854; Lewis
J. Baker, 1855, vice Rains; Thomas Dixon, 1856; David Mclntire, 1857,
vice Dilley; James W. Prow, 1858. vice IMcIntire; John Rains. 1858, vice
Baker; Robert R. Stewart, 1858, vice Prow: Henry C. Huston. 1859; J. W.
Prow, i860; Stewart; Ambrose Kern. 1861, vice Rains; \\\ A. Holland,
1861, vice Huston; Allen C. Burton, 1862, vice Huston; ^^'illiam H. Ander-
son, 1864, vice Kern; H. M. Guthrie, 1865, vice Holland; Allen C. Burton,
1865; Alfred Guthrie, 1866, vice H. M. Guthrie; Oliver P. Anderson. 1867,
vice W. H. Anderson; Thomas Reed, 1868. vice Guthrie; Allen C. Burton,
1868; David L. Sheeks, 1870; Ari Armstrong, 1870; ^^'illiam A. Holland,
1871 ; Wesley Edwards, 1872, vice Sheeks; Ari Armstrong, 1873; William
Hunter, 1874, vice Holland; Wesley Edwards, 1875; Alexander C. Glover,
vice Armstrong; Cranston T. Dodd, 1877; David L. Sheeks, 1878, vice
Edwards; A. C. Glover. 1879; \^■illiam Stickles, 1880, vice Dodd; Tilghman
H. Williams, 1881, vice .Sheeks; A. C. Glover, 1882; William Stickles. 1883;
John M. Sellers, Aaron Wright, 1884; T. S. Stipe, Wesley Edwards, 1886;
J. W. Cossner, Stipp, 1888; J. W. Cossner, W. Edwards, 1890;
Aylett R. Houston, William H. Bryant, 1892; J. W. Cossner, M. Robertson,
1894; Sears, Henry C. Trueblood, 1896; Wesley C. Denniston,
Henry C. Trueblood, 1898; Amos Scoggan, George B. Ross, 1900; Amos
W. Scoggan, Anselm Wood, 1902; James M. Sowder, Anselm Wood, 1904;
Preston M. Mavity, Joel L. Hobbs. 1906; Preston M. Mavity, William T.
Embree, 1908; Joel L. Hobbs. David S. Cox. 1910; Walter A. Jones, 1912.
CHAPTER VII.
LAWRENCE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
The newspaper has always, since its first introduction into civiHzed Hfe,
been a potent factor toward advancing the best interests of the community
in which it is published. It is true that sometimes designing men get control
of a newspaper and through its columns mislead the rank and file of the
people, but this only lasts a short time, because public opinion, as a general
rule, especially under a democratic form of government, can be relied upon
as standing for the right. So, as a general rule, editors are in harmony with
the best interests of a community. The weekly and daily press has, of late
years, come to be the household guide and these publications are read with
interest by almost all thinking, reasoning men and women. It is the greatest
medium for the dissemination of truth and knowledge.
The first paper published in Lawrence county was the JFestern Sun. a
small five-column folio, subscription rate two dollars per year, and its politics
was Whig. It was owned by a stock company of about seven leading Whigs,
who bought the material and placed it in charge of C. H. Allen, as publisher,
and whose name appeared as editor, though R. W. Thompson was in fact
the editor of the paper, and he gave full tone and strength to the publication.
Allen was succeeded by several others, including Marcus L. Deal. For five
years it was conducted under many disheartening circumstances, and was at
last abandoned.
In 1841 Isaac Smith founded the Bedford Rez'iew and conducted it three
years, more or less. He had W'illiam Newland associated with him for a
short time. This paper also had the Whig banner at its head. In 1S45
Comingore and Marts commenced the publishing of a paper known as the
Bedford Sini. a Democratic sheet, edited by Judge James Hughes, but pub-
lished by Jacob Marts. It was discontinued about 1848.
In the spring of 1848 James V. S. Maxwell began the publication of the
Bedford Herald, and continued for about two years, and it is believed that it
was succeeded by the People's Adz'ocatc. conducted for a short time early in
the fifties by James C. Carlton. In September. 1849. the White River Stand-
ard made its appearance with Leonard Green as its editor and proprietor.
Green was an able man, far above the average, and his was the best paper
LAWRENXE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 95
published in Lawrence county up to that date. It was a strong Whig organ.
In November, 1852, it passed to Judge E. D. Pearson, who ran it until 1855,
when it was sold to Mathis & Berry, who, after a few issues, on January 24,
1856, changed the name to the Bedford Independent. In May, 1856. C. G.
Berry was alone in its management, and later his son was associated with
him, as well as others. Still later a religious journal was issued here by S.
H. H. Mathis. Just how long Beny conducted the Independent is not now
known. It is certain that in the year 1863 it was in the possession of Eli
Dale, who had changed its name to the Bedford Press. October 6, 1863,
number 7, volume XIV, was being issued. Early in 1864 it passed into the
hands of William A. Gable, who changed the name after a few issues back
to the Independent. Later in 1864 and early part of 1865 S. H. H. Mathis
was again at the head of this paper, but was later succeeded by Gable, who
continued until May, 1867, when the property passed into the hands of W.
S. Benhani. At this time the paper was a seven-column folio and was an
excellent newspaper. In April, 1868. I. H. Thomas took the property over
as his own and l>ecame its editor, conducting it until 1874, having for his
associate, for some time, A. B. Cole.
The Laivrence Democrat was established in 1856 in the month of June,
by Messrs. W. R. Johns and X. F. Malott. It was from the outset a bright,
sparkling local sheet, and, as its name signifies, the organ of undefiled Democ-
racy. It went through several changes and after three years was discontin-
ued. Its successor appeared in Februar}', i860, under the management of
George Sheeks and A. D. Lemon, and it was called the Bedford Enterprise,
a Democratic paper, carrying Davie Crockett's famous saying. "Be sure
you are right, then go ahead." It only lasted one year and a few days. In
September, 1863, Henry M. Beadle commenced the publication of a paper
called the Bedford Appeal, a seven-column folio, strong in the Democratic
faith, politically. It was issued about a year and a half.
The Bedford Weekly Nezvs was established in Jannaiy. 1870, l)y Yockey
& Conlev. This was an eight-column folio. X^othing much is known of it.
The Bedford Leader, a seven-column folio, was founded by James Glover
about June, 1872. In 1876 the True Republican was established by G. A. J.
Thomas. In May, 1879, appeared the first issue of the Bedford Republican,
under the editorial management of R. A. Connor and W. S. English. John
V. Smith, a veteran newspaper man, purchased the two named offices and
united them and commenced the publication of the Bedford Journal, which
publication lasted, with success, until August, 1884, when he sold to F. B.
Hitchcock. August 2d that year Mr. Smith commenced the publication of
^6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
a small daily paper to be conducted during the campaign of 1884, — the Blaine-
Cleveland campaign, — but after fourteen issues, owing to the sale of the
office to Hitchcock, abandoned the enterprise.
In Februar>-, 1873, M. A, Gelwick commenced the issue of the Law-
rence Gazette, which was continued some time with much success. In 1876
H. H. Friedley was the editor of this journal.
The Democratic Banner was launched by Yockey & Conley, editors and
managers, about 1868-69. The material was largely furnished by the leading
Democrats of the \icinity. Tlu's paper soon had great influence in this
county, among the Democratic portion of the county, and in fact continued
so many years. It was sold, however, in 1871, or possibly a year later, to
Tames Carlton, but soon went back to Mr. Yockey, who later sold an in-
terest to A. J. Hostetler, who worked up a large circulation and did an exten-
sive job business and had his columns full of paying advertising matter.
The Bedford Star, a Democratic organ, was established in 1875 by John
Johnson, Jr. It was started as a four-column folio, then enlarged to a five
and still later to a six-column paper.
James Glover established the News about 1875, but in two months' time
it was counted among the defunct papers of Lawrence county.
A paper known as the Morning Call was issued for a time by Mr. Vestal.
The Bedford Magnet, a Republican paper, was founded in 1879 by Henry
S. Osborne, first as a daily, then a tri-weekly, then as a bi-weekly. In
August, 1884, it was consolidated with the Bedford Journal, just purchased
by Frank B. Hitchcock, of Flora, Illinois. This new paper was first called
the Lazvrence Mail, but the name was afterward changed to the Bedford
Mail Osborne & Hitchcock were the proprietors and editors. In 1889,
nearly two years after the death of Mr. Osborne, Fred B. Otis bought his
half interest, the firm becoming Hitchcock & Otis. In 1892 the daily edition
of the Mail was started. In 1896, soon after the death of Mr. Hitchcock,
Thomas J. Brooks bought the Hitchcock half interest, and the fimi became
Otis & Brooks, with Messrs. Brooks and Otis as editors and proprietors. In
19 1 2 the Mail, having outgrown the building on the south side of Sixteenth
street, half a block east of the public square, which it had occupied for
twenty-three years, the firm exchanged its old building and lot for a larger
lot directly across the street, and erected a handsome stone-front brick
building forty by seventy-five, and installed a modem plant, with a No. 8
linotype and Duplex press.
In 1885 John Johnson, Jr.. owner of the Bedford Star, an independent
Saturday paper, bought the Bedford Banner of A. J. Hostetler, and merged
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 97
the two papers under the name of the Bedford Democrat, the new paper be-
coming the Democratic organ of the county, with John Johnson, Jr., as owner
and editor. In 1892 the daily edition was started. In 1903, following the
death of Mr. Johnson, the paper was bought by Charles P. Butler, of North
Vernon, Indiana, who established the plant in its own building, erected for
the purpose, on the west side of J street, one-half block north of the public
square, put in a new cylinder press and linotype.
In 1895 Fred Way, a job printer, started a little paper called the
X-Ray, and later, taking F. A. Likely into partnership, changed the name to
the Republican, making it both daily and weekly. In 1900 D. Y. Johnson and
O. H. Griest purchased the paper, but afterward sold it to Lee Robinson. The
paper did not prosper, and after changing hands, at short intervals for a
while, finally suspended and the plant was "scrapped."
Another newspaper was established in 1873, called the Bedford Mirror,
but it was not long lived,
OTHER NEW.SPAPERS OF LAWRENCE COUNTY,
The first newspaper to lirighten the homes (jf the town of Mitchell was
the Republican, which paper was established just at the close of the Civil
war period by J, M, Griffin, who brought his presses from Vincennes, In-
diana, in the summer of 1865. He did not prove to be the right man in the
right place, so after a few issues it was discontinued and the press was sold
to parties in Paoli, and from it was issued the Republican of that place.
In February, 1866, a man named Rumrill, of Seymour, associated him-
self with Mr, Woodward, under the firm name of Woodward & Rumrill, and
they started the Mitchell Conuucrcial. The ])aper was under the control of
Mr. Wood-ward, as editor, publisher and printer. He was a racy writer and
made an interesting ])aper for the people of Mitchell, but, with the coming
of the spring sunshine, he sought other fields. ^Ir. Rumrill then sold the
office fixtures and good will (what there might have been of it) to Messrs.
Simpson Burton and J. K. Howard, who were at that date joint principals of
Mitchell Seminary, and Frank H. King, wlio was their music teacher, took
editorial charge of the paper. His time being demoted tcj nuisic more than to
his editorial duties, the paper did not fill a great and "long-felt want" in the
town and community 'round about. King also issued from that office The
Mimical Monthly. In 1867 Charles G. Berry became editor and publisher
of the Commercial. Berry was a fine scholar, a good man and well suited
for such position. He was also a practical printer, which also counted for
(7)
gS LAWRKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
much in the running' of a paper. For a time his son, H. L. Berry, was asso-
ciated with him. In July, 1872, Dr. E. S. Mclntire bought the office and
became its editor and pubHsher. Under his administration the paper was
radically Republican, but thoroughly independent, which, of course, made
him many warm friends and also not a few bitter enemies, politically. The
circulation was extended and his advertising was liberal. In the autumn of
1 88 1 a new fast press was added to the office's equipment, and the old Frank-
lin hand-press, then supposed to be the oldest in southern Indiana, was shipped
to the foundry, after having been in constant use since 1835. The good
Doctor, however, tiring of this sort of professional career, sold the office to
M. N. Moore & Son in May. 1883. M. T. Moore, the son, was a brilliant
head-line writer, but he, too, soon tired of the dingy walls of a country print
shop, and the office was sold, in October that year, to George Z. Wood, who,
in 1884, was still publishing the paper, with T. J. Tanksley as his local editor.
At that date the Commercial held the distinction of being the oldest paper
within the radius of forty miles. In September, 1884, it was sold to John V.
Smith, late of the Bedford Journal. Since then there have been many changes.
Judge W. FI. Edwards was in charge for some time, then E. L. Lee and
Hane & Thurston and they followed by McShane & Thurston. January i,
1897, the office was sold to Woolheather & Chitty, who came here from
Kansas, this being the birthplace of Howard Chitty, the junior member of
the firm, and for three years they worked hard, getting out two pages at
home and two "patent" from Cincinnati, and printing one seven-column page
at a time on a large job press. On account of the antiquated condition of the
material in the office and the limited amount of business in sight at that time,
it was decided there was not profit sufficient to support two heads of families,
so, on January i, 1900, H. E. Woolheater sold his interest in the Coiiiiiercial
to Howard Chitty, who is yet in charge, and has been connected with the
Commercial for sixteen vears. There is now nothing in the office of the
original purchase excepting two solid black walnut type cabinets, prized for
their antiquity, and the fact that type cabinets made of solid black walnut
are not on the market, and not to be had at any price. There is also one
small jol) press that was ])ought with the office. The equipment now consists
of a rapid two-revolution news press, two jobbers, linotype machine, cabinets
for all type, instead of the old home-made racks of yore, and the Commercial
issues from four to six pages each week, all printed at home. At this time
four people are employed in the Commercial office. Howard Chitty, as editor
and publisher; Mrs. William Shanks, city editress: Roy Lanham, of Sey-
mour, foreman, and Miss Maude Hamilton, of Shoals, as linotype operator.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 99
The Mitchell Times was established January. 1876. Charles L. Yockey
at that date published the Bedford Banner, and he made one side of his sheet
the Mitchell Times, and the joint newspaper was issued in the two towns
that year. The local editor at Mitchell was Dr. John T. Briggs. In 1877
this two-sided paper was abandoned, and Dr. Briggs gave the Times a separ-
ate existence in the field of journalism. He made it a Democratic organ for
the south side of Lawrence county. It was, from the start, a bright, newsy
sheet, intensely partisan, and not unfrequently sparkled with genuine wit.
He continued as its editor until January 18, 1884, when he sold the office to
Charles L. Yockey, a practical printer, and a man of many years' newspaper
and editorial work.
There were a few other newspaper ventures in Mitchell, in early days,
not already mentioned. Init all were short-lived attempts. One Albert Johns-
ton, when a mere boy, published an amateur sheet called the Star. The En-
terprise was another paper started by Harry Davis, a printer of the Commer-
cial office. This was launched in 1874, but it was soon snuffed out of exist-
ence.
At Leesville a miniature newspaper was established in 1877 by Micajah
Allen. This was known as the Sun, but later called the Index. These were
both very small concerns. The Graphic was established in May, 1882, by
McHenry Owen. It was a four-column folio sheet, but changed later to a
six-column paper. It was running in 1884, and was Democratic in its poliitcs.
At Oolitic the Progress was launched a few months since, but no history
of it was to be obtained by the historian.
CHAPTER VIII.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ETC.
In the march of civilization the common school has been a potent factor.
Before the present system of public schools, this county had only the sub-
scription and private, select schools. The pioneer band who invaded the wilds
of Lawrence county did not neglect the education of their children, but
sought out every then known means of providing at least a fair schooling
for their rising sons and daughters. Four years prior to the county's real
organization, or in 1814. the first school was taught in the territory now
within Lawrence county. This school was taught at Leesville, and for two,
and probably three, years was the only school in this county. It was taught
by an Irish monk named Langdon, who was highly educated. He continued
hereabouts until 181 7. It was during that year that the second school in the
county was opened and he became its teacher. This term was taught on the
farm of James Conley. in what is now Guthrie township. The house was
located three hundred yards west of the small tunnel, near Lawrence-
port. Iliree months was the duration of this second school in Lawrence
county. The building in which it was held was built for the purpose by
Mr. Conley, whose children, Charles, Joshua, Hugh. Joseph, Nancy, Peggy
and Diana, principally composed the school. After this term, Langdon, the
Irishman, went down the ri\er to the Johnston settlement, where he taught
for two years. Probably the third school in what is now Lawrence county
was on the present site of Lawrenceport in 1818, by Thomas Fulton. The
school Imilding stood near the mouth of Fishing creek, and among the schol-
ars may he remembered James and Elizabeth Chess and a Miss McManis.
In 1820 a temi was taught near where later stood the Guthrie bridge, on
land subsequently owned by George Foster. Later, an old cotton-gin house
was pressed into service for school purposes. About that date numerous
schools were being held in log cabins here and there over the settled portion
of the county.
In Indian Creek township there were several early-day schools, for
there were many settlers in that part of the county. The first of such schools
was doul)t]ess tlie one kept a few hundred yards south of present Fayette-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. lOI
ville. This has been graphically described as "A small round log house, with
a clapboard roof, a 'cat-clay' chimney, a puncheon floor and greased-paper
windows." The furniture was of the roughest type, the benches having been
made from saplings split in two, with legs inserted in auger holes through
them. Writing desks were made by hewing out a slab and hanging on pegs
on the side of the walls, where the light was the best. No wonder so many
of the earlier generations were ])oor writers, or could not write their own
names at all. The school children of the present age do not begin to appre-
ciate the comforts and advantages which are thrown around them in their
school life. The conditions that confronted our fathers and grandfathers
were entirely different, yet those days really produced many illustrious men
and gifted, accomplished women. The first to teach in the last named school
was a Mr. Ditto, who taught but one term. In 1822 a new school house was
provided for this settlement, on land later owned by Noah Kern, but then
by Peter Smith.. Here John R. Cooke was first to serve as master, as school
teachers were commonly styled then. A few years after it was erected, this
school house was destroyed l)y a whirlwind, and a child of Abraham Martin
was killed by the falling of a beech tree. The building was finally repaired
and served for school purposes several years longer.
In Marion tow nship, where schools early took front rank, the first school
house was the hewed-log structure built in 1824, and was the first one of its
kind in Law rence county. \\'iley G. Burton later owned the land where this
building stood. Probably John McLean was first to teach there, and follow^-
ing him came the one-legged teacher. Samuel Daltun. Xext to teach here
was Mr. Evans, who lost his position as teacher l)ecause he was frequently
caught napping during school hours. He was succeeded by one of a different
temperament, a Mr. Bethey, who. it is related, cleared off ten acres of land
outside of his regular school hours. Daniel Watkins came next. He was a
Welshman and remained a teacher in this hewed-log house for seven years.
Year after vear educational matters in this state took on better phases,
until finally the common free school system was established in the thirties
and early forties. It would be useless to attempt to trace all the schools in
the early settlement, for it is impossil)le to do so.
Coming down to 1883. thirtv ^•ears ago. the records of the county show
that the various townships made the following showing in way of schools
carried on at the expense of the taxpayers :
The total numljer of persons between the ages of six and twenty-one
years in 1883 was 6.658. Of these, there were, of white. 3.339 males and
I02 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
3,125 females; of colored, 56 males and 78 females. The school reports for
1884 have this exhibit, in substance:
Flinn township, 290 pupils, six school houses.
Pleasant Run township, 619 pupils, twelve school houses.
Perry township, 307 pupils, five school houses.
Indian Creek township, 601 pupils, fourteen school houses.
Spice Valley township, 722 pupils, thirteen school houses.
Marion township, 665 pupils, twelve school houses.
Bono township, 264 pupils, seven school houses.
Shawswick tov/nship, 627 pupils, fifteen school houses.
Marshall township, 437 pupils, seven school houses.
Guthrie township, 362 pupils, seven school houses.
Mitchell, Town of — 755 pupils, one school building.
Bedford, City of — 956 pupils, two school buildings.
Total number of pupils, 6,604; number of houses, loi.
At that date the teachers' wages were: Males averaged $1.58 per day;
females averaged $1.50 per day. The total numl:)er of teachers in the county
was 51 male and 68 female.
SCHOOLS A THIRD OF A CENTURY AGO.
From a description of educational facilities written about a third of a
century ago, it is learned that Flinn and Pleasant Run townships ranked
alx)ve the average in the country districts of Lawrence county. Longer
terms were then taught there than elsewhere in this county; however, the
school buildings were not in as good repair as in other portions of the county.
The one in the township styled Jackson was nearly new and was provided
with patent seats and other modern appliances for the children's comfort. In
1858 there was organized at Leesville a very excellent high school. This
was owned and established by a joint stock company organized for that pur-
pose. The building was a two-story brick structure, with two study rooms
and one recitation room. Its cost was not far from five thousand dollars.
After 1883 there was no school held here, however. The first teacher was a
Mr. Maxwell, who was followed by Messrs. Boston, Rev. Stalker, L. W.
Johnson, Hobbs, R. W. May, Albert May, W. T. Branaman and
D. H. Ellison, who became the superintendent of schools for Lawrence county
in the early eighties.
Next after Flinn township came Pleasant Run, where fully one-third of
the school houses were frame, nearly new, and the balance in good condition.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. IO3
This township in 1884 had the only log school house in use in Lawrence
county. One of the best school houses in the county was at that date in
Springville, Perry township. It was a two-story building, covered by a slate
roof. In Indian Creek township, in the eighties, the school buildings were in
the poorest condition of any in this county. In Spice Valley the houses were
but little better, although there were some almost new^ ones, which were soon
followed by others. In Marion township at that date there were some of the
best buildings in the county. The furniture and fixtures were modern for
that time, but the terms of school \vere the shortest of almost any within the
county. The best school in Bono towmship was then kept at Lawrenceport,
yet there were sevei-al others nearly as good. In Shawswick township the
schools were far more numerous than in any other section of Lawrence
county in the early eighties, in fact in some parts they were said to have been
too numerous, exhausting the resources of the township without doing the
general good they might have done if there had not been so many to main-
tain. The only brick school building in the county in 1884, aside from the
one at Bedford, was the one located at the town of Mitchell. That was
well equipped with everything up-to-date, and no school in any township of
the county was doing better w^ork, week in and week out, than this one. A
house was erected at Guthrie in t88i at a cost of one thousand five hundred
dollars. One of the best township schools in the county was at Tunnelton,
in Guthrie township.
At Mitchell there was erected in 1856 a small brick school house. The
first term of school there was taught in the wnnter of 1856-57 by E. M.
Baldwin. All the terms of school taught in that liuilding were on the old-
fashioned subscription plan. The school of 1859-60, which used the public
money, supplemented this, and the building later was used for the colored
people of the town for meeting house purposes.
THE AIITCHELL GRADED SCHOOL.
This educational institution was established in 1869, and it was one of
the first in southern Indiana. The first high school building was constructed
at an expense of three thousand dollars; it was a two-story frame, and was
utilized until the erection of the 1879 school house. The last mentioned was
a brick building costing ten thousand dollars. In 1882 the prospectus of this
school stated "forty-five teachers have gone out from Mitchell graded school,
six physicians, six attorneys and two ministers."
i04 lawrence and monroe counties, indiana.
Bedford's first school.
The pioneer school of Bedford was taught by Captain Hill during the
winter of 1826-27, in the old court house, and it was attended by thirty-
six pupils. This was in the days of "select schools,"' maintained by subscrip-
tions. The pupil was required to pay in advance two dollars each quarter,
and instructions were given in grammar, algebra, rhetoric, higher arithmetic
and lower branches. This was continued until the change of policy and the
establishment of the County Seminary, through the act of Legislature dated
January, 193 1. Indeed, the contrast between those years and the first decade
of the twentieth century is very striking. Now the schools are first class ;
the buildings are first class ; the fixtures and apparatus are excellent and the
instructors none but the highest type of scholars. But, to go back a step in
the school history of the county seat town, it should be stated that in 1869
an attempt was made to establisli a graded school for the ])enefit of the entire
civil township, and the enterprise had proceeded so far as that a foundation
was laid for such a building. The movement caused much trouble in the
community, between those within and those living outside the town plat of
Bedford. This really resulted in the incorporation of Bedford as an inde-
pendent school district. This resulted further in the completion of the al-
ready commenced building in town by the town people, which was accom-
plished in 1871. It was a six-room structure and seated three hundred pupils.
Its cost was not far from twenty-seven thousand dollars. School opened in
it September 1. 1871, and in November, the same year, it was destroyed by
fire, from some unknown cause. There was no insurance on the property,
hence it was a total loss. The day of this fire the citizens ordered the trustees
to go ahead and build a larger, better building over the ashes of the one
just consumed by the angry flames. Rooms were temporarily leased through-
out the town, in which the schools were kept running until the completion
of the new building in 1873. This house had nine rooms, and seated five
hundred scholars. It was constructed from brick, was two stories high, and
cost twenty-seven thousand dollars. In 1S72 a separate school was opened in
Bedford for the colored children of the town. From that time on the school
history here is kno\\ n well to the older readers of this work, and the late re-
ports of tlie schools will appear elsewhere in this work.
other educational IN.STITUTIONS OF THE COUNTY.
In this connection will be mentioned the Southern Indiana Nonmal Col-
lege, the Lawrence County Seminary and the select schools.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. IO5
The last named was the outgrowth of the going down of the County
Seminary, by the repeal of the law l)y which it was created. In the autumn
of 1854 Rev. J. M. .Stalker opened an academy in the basement of the Presby-
terian church at Bedford. In 1856 Professor Conley began the Lawrence
high school. In this J. M. Stalker and others taught until about 1869, when
this school was merged into the Bedford Male and Female College. This
institution was incorporated by Messrs. Stever Younger, J. M. Mathes, Joseph
Stilson, A. J. Hotetler, David G. Gray, John M. Daggy. George VV. Adams,
J. N. Hostetler and William B. Chrisler. The corporation articles stated,
among other things, "establish and perpetuate in the town of Bedford, Law-
rence county, Indiana, an institution of learning of the highest grade, for the
education of males and females : to promote the arts and sciences and incul-
cate the evidences and morality of the sacred Scriptures." This school was
held in the basement of the Christian church, and it continued until 1880, and
then went down.
What was known as the Lawrence County Seminary was just such a
school as was provided for all over Indiana by an act of the Legislature.
For a time (until the free school system came into existence) these schools
bid fair to be of great value to the people. A good brick building was built.
The attendance was large, pupils coming in from all sections of the county.
The first to instruct here was Professor Lynn, who did not remain very
long and was succeeded by others better known. In 1832-33 the institution
was headed by that well-known man. Hon. Richard W. Thompson. His
successor was Hon. George W. Dunn, after whom came Joseph Stilson, who
was long one of Bedford's best physicians. The school was managed by a
board of trustees appointed by the district court. In March. 1838, the trus-
tees reported to the county conimissioners as follows : "Upon examination
they found the seminary building considerably out of repair, and in a con-
dition subjecting it to rapid decay, destitute of a teacher, under the control
and supervision of the trustees, the institution in (lel)t and without a very
exalted reputation as a high school. The board caused tlie necessary repairs
to be made to the building without delay and have it now in good order for
the comfort and accommodation of two teachers and at least a hundred pupils.
All debts except some trifling amounts against the institution have been paid
off and there is yet remaining in the treasury the sum of $93-59' which, to-
gether with such sums as may be constantly coming in from fines assessed
before the justices of the peace and in the circuit court of said county, will
be amply sufficient to keep up repairs, make all necessary improvements and
in a short time we trust to purchase a suitable librar}- for such institution. A
I06 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
female school, by Miss Lovey Kittredge, has been taught in one room of the
building under the inspection of the board, and by the reports of the exam-
ining committees of the schools it appears that the conditions of that depart-
ment of the school are highly creditable to Miss Kittridge and beneficial to
those tinder her care. The best of order is observed in her school, although
large; entire harmony and good feeling exists in her school between the pupils
themselves and between them and the teacher, and the scholars are making
rapid improvement in all the useful branches of female education. The other
room is occupied by Mr. Minard Sturgis, a young gentleman of superior
acquirements, amiable disposition, gentle manners, industrious habits and
strict morality. These qualities render him a valuable acquisition to the sem-
inary, as he proposes taking it permanently under his charge. The present
condition of his department is prosperous and interesting in every respect,
we believe meeting the entire approbation of the public. The following are
the rates of tuition: Reading, writing and arithmetic, three dollars per
quarter; English grammar, bookkeeping, geography, composition and decla-
mation, three dollars and fifty cents per quarter; the classics and other higher
branches, six dollars per quarter, to which is added upon each pupil the sum
of twenty-five cents per quarter as a contingent fund, out of which are de-
frayed all expenses necessary for the comfort and convenience of the pupils
and teachers connected with the seminary. The board thought it necessary
to fix the rates thus high in order to secure competent teachers and guard
the institution from degenerating into a mere town school, benefiting only a
few individuals, instead of being, as it was intended, the resort of all who
desire to procure the advantages of a liberal education."
This report was signed by G. R. Dimihue and George D. Dunn, as com-
mittee and gives a good idea of the school at that time. In May, 1841, an-
other board was appointed and of this Gustavus Clark was president, John
Vespal, treasurer, and Alichael A. Malott, secretary. In September, 1842, the
report was made by the secretary and from that it is learned that John Dale
had for some time before then been in charge of the school as teacher and
part of the time employed an assistant. The institutions lingered along under
various instructors until the Legislature, in 1852, provided for the sale of
county seminaries and applying the proceeds to the common school fund.
This was sold at public sale to R. M. Parks, who had formerly been one of its
teachers, for one thousand fifty dollars, and thus died the Lawrence County
Seminarv.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. "IO7
SOUTHERN INDIANA NORMAL COLLEGE.
This was one of the most prosperous and popular educational institutions
in the state. It was located at Mitchell, this county, April 6, 1880, and re-
ceived its articles of incorporation June 7th, that year. Many prominent
men in southern Indiana felt the need of a training school where teachers
could be instructed for the profession of teaching. Mitchell was chosen the
place for this school, because of the enterprising, untiring zeal her people
took in the matter. Among those who aided in securing this school may be
recalled Prof. J. N. Selby, Prof. \V. F. Harper. Dr. H. L. Kimberlin. M. N.
Moore, Dr. J. L. W. Yost, J. Y. Bates, John Dodson, Alfred Guthrie, Dr.
W. A. Burton. Allen C. Burton. Anselm Wood, M. A. Burton, Isom Burton,
Dr. G. W.' Burton, E. P. Eversole, James D. Moore, Dr. E. S. Mclntire and
many more.
About the beginning of 1880 active steps were taken in securing a
faculty and advertising the opening of this normal school or college. Prof.
W. F. Harper was selected as president, and Prof. J. N. Selby, business
manager. A very acceptable corps of instructors headed each department.
April 6th,' the morning on which the school was to open, orders had gone
forth that all bells in Mitchell should be rung for a full half hour. The stores
were closed, and merchants and their families all repaired to the Baptist
church to witness the organization. In July of the first year, a class of six
were graduated, the number in attendance being in all departments about one
hundred and fifty. This was a good start for the first year's work. On ac-
count of overwork. Professor Harper was forced to resign in 1882. and was
succeeded by one of his professors, W. E. Lungenbeel, who built the school
up wonderfully in a short time. In 1883 a small-pox epidemic (mostly a
scare) injured the school for a year, but its president went forth and suc-
ceeded better than ever before, so that in 1884 he had enrolled over five hun-
dred teachers and those seeking training for this profession. The fame of
the school spread throughout the entire Union and men of prominence every-
where backed it and talked for its policy. This school certainly did revolu-
tionize the common schools in southern Indiana. A similar school was estab-
lished at Milan. Tennessee, September, 1884, the same being promulgated by
this Mitchell College, and its teachers were all of the Mitchell College alumni.
The Tennessee college had two hundred and fifty pupils on hand at its first
day of opening. With the passing of years these institutions have been
superseded by those of better value.
T08 LAWRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
PRESENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Today educational advantages are to be found in every township in the
county, where good buildings obtain, where thorough teachers are employed,
and where general interest is taken. The summing up of the schools of
Lawrence county, with the buildings, teachers and enrollments, may be found
by reading the following digest from the annual report of the county school
superintendent, issued for the last year :
Average High School
Township or Town. Attendance. Schools. Teachers. Houses.
Bono 219 096
Guthrie 329 i 15 10
Indian Creek 492 2 22 14
Marion 437 o 19 16
Marshall 471 i 19 13
Perry 115 i 8 5
Pleasant Run 1 372 i 16 12
Shawswick 657 i 29 17
Spice Valley 501 2 17 12
Total 3,503 9 154 105
Towns and Cities.
Bedford 1.606 — 55 5
Mitchell 625 — 20 3
Total 2,331 — 75 8
Grand total 5,734 — 229 113
Of the one hundred and thirteen school houses in Lawrence county,
seven are brick and one hundred and six are frame.
CHAPTER IX.
AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, ETC.
While the greatest industry of Lawrence county is that of the Bedford
stone quarries and the shipment of this wonderful material to all sections of
the country, it may be stated that long before this valuable mineral product
was discovered and developed to any great extent, the lands of this portion of
Indiana had attracted many settlers. While there are much more fertile soils,
there are many more sterile. The forests of excellent timber, the running
streams and numerous never- failing springs, found bubbling up from the
earth, all had their value and charm for the hardy pioneer who first looked
upon this county. The soil is well adapted to raising blue grass and it has
been produced in large amounts from the earliest settlement. It was first
sown in Indian Creek tow nship by Alirahani Kern and Stever Younger dur-
ing the winter of 1819-20 on sections 13 and 24 in township 5, range 2 west,
and from that small beginning has grown to be a leading crop and has had
much to do with the raising of live stock throughout this county. The early
settlers were well satisfied that the richest portion of the county was in the
fertile bottom lands, and there they naturally located and built homes for
themselves. While Indian township was at first considered the choicest in
the county, as years went by other sections were found equally productive,
and soils that were once thought almost valueless for the production of crops
have come to be known as excellent farming sections.
This county is fast becoming famous as a fruit region. Joel A. Burton's
great orchards, lying near the southern boundary line of the county, where
many fine bearing trees are now growing, is a rare sight to behold. Many
smaller orchards are found around Mitchell.
The dairying business is also coming into prominence, on account of the
greater growth of Lawrence county's famous blue grass, which produces an
excellent grade of butter.
The state agricultural reports for 1911 show these figures: .-Veres of
wheat, 11,247; average yield, thirteen bushels. Corn, 33.812 acres, with a
million bushels, averaging twenty-eight bushels per acre. Oats, 7,112 acres,
less than twelve bushels per acre. Rye, 614 acres. Barley, seven acres.
no LAWRENCE AND ArONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Buckwheat, tliirteen acres. Irish potatoes, 334 acres, 13,622 bushels. To-
bacco, three acres, producing 2,000 pounds. Tomatoes, 126 acres, producing
421 tons. Timothy hay, 10,000 tons. Alfalfa. 170 tons. Prairie hay, 1,017
acres, producing 1.224 tons. Clover, 4.324 acres, made 3,838 tons. Horses
and colts on hand January, 1912. 4.792. Mules. 1.485. Average of cows
milked. 4.008. Butter made, 472.000 pounds. Cattle on hand. 9,416; cattle
sold, 5,590. Hogs sold, 12.964; hogs died. 1.250. Sheep on hand. 4.722;
sold, 2.763. Wool sold. 20,452 pounds. Poultry sold. 5.867 dozen; average
number of hens, 6.500. Dozen eggs produced, 617.000.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The first attempt at organizing a county agricultural society in Lawrence
county was at a preliminary meeting held at Bedford on the Fourth of July.
185 1, when a committee was appointed, of which William Duncan was chair-
man, to prepare a constitution and by-laws of the proposed agricultural so-
ciety. The same season, on August 9th, a large mass meeting was held at
the Bedford court house to effect the organization. John McCrea was made
chairman and Leonard Green, secretary. Then the constitution and by-laws
were adopted and inany signers were placed on the file as members of the
County Agricultural Society. No fair was held that year, but full plans were
efifected for holding one in 1852. It was determined to make this first fair
largely a stock show. It was to be held just to the southwest of Bedford, on
land of Jesse A. Mitchell, and the date was fixed upon as November 9th. The
officers for 1852 were: Pleasant Parks, president; John Whitted, vice-presi-
dent; Isaac Rector, treasurer; R. R. Bryant, secretary. There was quite a
respectable number of Lawrence county's citizens — farmers, stockraisers and
townspeople — in attendance. Premiums were awarded on cattle to G. M.
Brown, Lewis Rout, Isaac Rector, Jesse Johnson, William Stipp and G. B.
Owens; on sheep to Enoch Faubion and Jesse Johnson; on horses to Fred
Stipp, William Fisher, John Rogers, William Duncan, G. M. Brown, Ben
Newland and David Ikerd; on jacks to William Duncan and Daniel and
Peter Mvers ; on poultry to R. R. Bryant ; on manufactured articles to Enoch
Faubion; best beet was exhibited by John B. Buskirk. and it weighed eight
and three-fourths pounds. Judge Duncan read an essay on tlie management
of stock, and R. R. Bi-)'ant one on fowls.
In 1853 there was no regular fair, but rather a stock sale took its place.
This was an interesting gathering and was well attended by many farmers
and stockmen. In 1854 a strong effort was made to merge the Lawrence
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. Ill
county society with those of Orange and Washington counties, but the ma-
jority ruled against this plan. So far there had been no gate fees charged to
the county fairs here. In 1851 the membership fee was eighteen dollars; in
1852 it was placed at fourteen and in 1853 ^t thirteen dollars.
In the spring of 1854 arrangements were made to purchase fair grounds
by means of a stock subscription. Before that grounds had always been
leased. Nothing, however, was accomplished along this line until April,
1856, when a committee was appointed to purchase grounds, and they re-
ported in June, that year, that they had bought a tract of land just west of and
adjoining the town, thirty by forty rods, or equal to about eight acres, of
Jesse A. Mitchell. But for some unknown reason no fair was held there, and
in 1857 the grounds were sold, and a more suitable tract bought northwest
of town, consisting of ten acres, which was purchased from William Fisher
for one thousand dollars. Tlie original subscription stock was fifty dollars
per share, and the total amount subscribed was two thousand three hundred
dollars, a portion of which, however, was never raised.
THE FIRST REAL AGRICULTURAL FAIR.
Lawrence county's first real agricultural fair was held in 1857, and was
a veiy successful affair. The total receipts from all sources were $2,369.15,
mostly raised by the payment of stock subscriptions. The value of the real
estate and improvements was ^2,090. The liabilities of the society were
$1,941. The ten acres of ground were surrounded by a tight board fence,
seven or eight feet high, and there were a hundred and fifty stalls for stock,
and also a trotting track and an ampitheater capable of holding two thousand
people, besides smaller buildings for floral and domestic displays.
The second fair was held in 1858, and this was also highly creditable to
the people of Lawrence count}'. The total receipts were one thousand two
hundred dollars, while the premiums amounted to four hundred and seventy
dollars. There were five hundred and twenty entries and one hundred and
seventy premiums awarded. In 1857 the president had been Robert Boyd;
in 1858, Isaac Denson. By the last date the fair grounds were covered by a
mortgage. There were then two hundred and twenty-eight stockholders, and
so large was the debt that all hopes of holding a fair in 1859 faded and the
cloud had not been cleared away by i860. In the month of November, i860,
however, a joint-stock company was formed to pay off the delDt then due the
estate of George G. Dunn. Matters were getting in fair shape when the Civil
war cloud of 1861 made its appearance and all local and home interests were
112 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
forgotten when the Hag of the Union was assailed by traitors on the Southern
soil.
Nothing further was attempted at holding an agricultural exhibit in this
county until 1869. On October 8th, that year, a meeting was held to reor-
ganize the old society, Henry Davis being chairman, with Isaac Rector as
secretary. Committees were selected to form a new constitution and to circu-
late a subscription list with which to procure funds, on the stock-membership
plan. Later a constitution was adopted and officers as follows were elected :
Jesse A. Mitchell, president; Henry Davis, vice-president; C. T. Woolfolk,
secretary; W. C Wintstandley, treasurer. William Daggy was made super-
intendent. Several meetings were subsequently held and the one which con-
vened October 30th appointed a committee to purchase grounds, and then the
shares of stock were fixed at twenty-five dollars each. July 14, 1870, the
committee reported that they had purchased of Thomas A. Whitted land de-
scribed as follows: The south part of the west half of the southwest quarter
of section 11, township 5, range i west, in all 13.75 acres; also two and a
half acres of the same tract of Stever Younger. These grounds were then
ordered improved, and a fair seems to have been held in 1869, the gross
receipts of which were $1,304. Thus well begun, the fairs continued in their
annual order. In 1870 the fair continued for four days, and gave gross re-
ceipts amounting to $1,189.50, all of which was awarded in premiums, as
follows: $774 on horses; $25 on mules; $141 on cattle; $46 on swine; $30
on sheep; $3.00 on poultry; $74 on farm implements; $19 on domestic manu-
factures; $16.50 on equestrianism, etc. The treasurer reported that year
$2,377.75 spent on the grounds, and that the fair had cost incidentally,
$278.70. In August, 1871, ten acres of adjoining timber land was bought of
Mrs. George A. Thornton for $200. Extensive plans were effected for the
fair of 1871, and the awards that season amounted to $1,128 in premiums on
470 entries, and in special premiums the awards were increased to $1,443.90.
In 1872 there were one hundred and twenty stockholders and the debt of
the society was about $313.
The figures for several years were as follows: 1873-, $1,763, expenses,
$1,698. 1874, receipts, $847; expenses. 767. In 1875, receipts, $321; ex-
penses, $285. In 1877, receipts, $1,120; expenses, $1,030. In 1878, re-
ceipts, $1,596; expenses, $1,427. In 1880, receipts, $1,056; expenses, $1,033.
The fairs were held until about a dozen years ago, but finally the society
went down for lack of agricultural interest.
CHAPTER X. •
BENCH AND BAR OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Law is a necessity in an_y civilized community. The opinions of men
differ on many questions of right and wrong, and honestly, too. Then there
are always law-breakers in every section of the world, men who have no just
regard for the rights of their fellow men. It is the lawyer who comes in to
adjust and try to make right these matters. While the lawyer follows his
profession primarily for the pecuniary remuneration it affords, yet he is a
man of great value in his community and no profession can boast of men
who have been of more service to the world than the attorney at the bar. He
it is who most frequently becomes a law-maker himself. Look over the list of
illustrious statesmen in this and foreign lands, and in a majority of cases the
men who have had to do with the making and enforcing laws have come from
this profession. It is generally looked upon as among the most honorable of
all professions. The standard of legal ethics has advanced some with the
passing years, but even way back hundreds of years ago, the lawyer was noted
for his honor and integrity, and among themseh'es and in court their word
was as good as a 1x)nd. The profession has as few bad men. in proportion to
the number who engage in the legal ])ractice, as any other profession. In
this country one has but to point with pride to Webster, Choate, Everett.
Marshall, Lincoln, Douglas, and those of more recent years, to note that they
were all men of great learning and prominent factors in the placing of im-
portant legal enactments upon the statute books of many commonwealths.
The pioneer lawyers had not the advantages of those of today, but man)-"
of them were legal giants. In this chapter will be recited some things con-
cerning the early courts and members of the bench and bar in I^wrence
county.
At the house of James Gregory, in Lawrence county, on June 4. 1818,
the first circuit court of the county was held. Those present were Thomas
H. Blake, John Milroy and William Erwin. The home of James Gregory
was located in Leatherwood. east of the site of the present Bedford, on the
David Ikerd farm, afterwards belonging to Capt. Isaac Newkirk. James
Gregory was a native of North Carolina, and came to Indiana in 181 3. In
(8)
114 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
the war of 1814 he was a Ranger. In 1818 he located in Lawrence county,
and in 1820 was a representative in the Legislature. His death occurred in
Yucatan, whither he had gone on a trading expedition in 1842. He was the
father of R. C. Gregory, later one of the judges of the Indiana supreme
court.
Among the first circuit court judges were Thomas H. Blake, John Mil-
roy and William Erwin. Jonathan Jennings, as governor, signed their com-
missions, and each was sworn to support the Constitution of the United
States. Blake was later, in 1839, a candidate for the United States Senate,
but was defeated. John Lowrey became clerk, and also at this term of court
John F. Ross, of Charlestown, was admitted to the bar. The first grand jury
was composed of the following men: Jeremiah Rankin, foreman: John
Horton, James Fulkerson, Samuel G. Hoskins, William Leaky. Reuben Kil-
gore. Robert Brooks, Isaac Anderson, James Mundle, Thomas Henton.
William Tulley, David Cummings, Isaac Mitchell, Daniel Piles, Dixon Brown,
Joel Vanderveer, Beverly Gregory and John Ikerd. The sheriff, in all proba-
bility, was Joseph Glover.
Ebenezer McDonald, George R. C. Sullivan and John Law were ad-
mitted to the bar at this term of court. The early cases included an assault
and battery, in whicli Eli Powell was the complainant and Thomas House
the defendant: another, of Joseph Thompson vs. Richard Evans, and another
of similar nature.
The court met again in September, 1818, and Jeremiah Rowland, Isaac
Naylor, William Hoggett and Henry Stephen were admitted to the bar. The
circuit court at this time included several counties. The case of Thomas
House came up again, and he was fined ten dollars by the judge. The
Thompson-Evans case also was argued, and tlie judge imposed a fine of one
dollar each on the men. The jury in these cases was composed of the follow-
ing men: John Leaky, Robert Mitchell, Joseph Rawlins, James Cully, Al-
bert Howard. William Elrod, George McNight, John Gardner, Robert Hun-
ter, William Dougherty, Joseph Sullivan and James Garten.
The first civil case tried in the county was that of Phillis, the slave, and
was called Susannah \\'itcher vs. F'hillis (a woman of color), recognizance.
As Phillis was a negro, she could not testify against Su.sannah, and accord-
ingly the court decided that she was the legal property of the Witcher woman.
The record of this case has strangely passed from memory of the oldest
inhabitant, and the detail^^ have been forever erased from the legal records
of the county.
The judgment taken bv James Kitchell against John Brown for seventy-
l.AWREXCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. II5
three dollars, stayed by Patrick Callan, was the first. At this term of the
circuit court there were twelve indictments returned, eleven of them on the
charge of assault and batter}-, a notable fact. Four of these vvcre made
against one man, namely, John Andreson. who must have been very much of
the nature of a "bruiser." James Cusick. John Laughlin, Francis Williams
and Robert Erwin were the individuals who bore the brunt of his pugnacity.
For his clean-up, Anderson was fined a paltry fifteen dollars.
Gen. W. Johnson, commissioned by the governor of the state, took his
seat as judge of the first circuit at the March term, 1819. Having had a
brilliant militaiy record, there evidently was much local apprehension as to
his methods of settling a dispute, and accordingly his oath of office contained
words that he had neither "directly or indirectly given, accepted or knowingly
carried a challenge to any person or i^ersons. to fight a single combat, or
otherwise, with any deadly weapon, either in or out of this state, since the
29th day of June, 1816: and that I will not directly give, accept or knowingly
carry a challenge to any person or persons, to fight in single combat or other-
wise, with any deadly weapon either in or out of this state, during my con-
tinuance in office." At this term of court, Robert Holly, Jr., and Winthrop
Foote were admitted to the l)ar. At this term Joseph Benefield was allowed
tw^o dollars for the use of a house for a court house, and the grand jurors
were allowed one dollar and fifty cents each for the term.
FIRST COCRT .\T PALESTINE.
On the banks of beautiful White ri\er rested the little town of Palestine,
once the ])remier village of the county, luit long since relegated to become a
mere hamlet. The first term of the court was held at this town in June, 1819,
at the court house, which was built of lirick. I'ntil 1823, Palestine was the
location of the seat of justice, and at that time was abandoned owing to the
fever and ague developing in the community. At the first term of court held
here, Jonathan Doty was the judge, and James R. Higgins and Daniel Shell
were admitted to the legal ])ractice. The first divorce in Lawrence county
was granted at this session, the princi])als being Benjamin and Xancy Dawson.
In October, 1819, court was again held here. John Martin, a traverse
juror, was fined for contempt of court. Howe\er, a non-suit was ordered,
a juror withdrawn, the rest discharged, and thus the plaintiff reserved the
right to bring his suit again. Winthrop l''"oote became prosecutor in place
of John Ross.
In the March term, 1820, the first sentence of the lash was executed in
.Il6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the county. The prisoner was John Workman, and his indictment was for
larceny. He pleaded not guilty. The jury, which was composed of John
Short, David Green, David Love, James Fulkerson, John Grey, Joseph
Rawlins, Robert Hunter, Samuel Simons, George Sheeks, John Bates, William
Elrod and Samuel McBride, heard the evidence in the case, and returned the
verdict of guilty, and assessed "his fine at one dollar, and that he receive five
stripes." Trouble ensued over this verdict, and unquestionably justice was
given a twist in the case. There was a damage suit brought at this term of
court by the commissioners of the county vs. Robert M. Carlton, Alexander
Walker, Reuben Kilgore, George Sheeks, Pleasant Parks, Edward Johnson
and Joshua Taylor. However, the case never came to trial. At the June
term, 1820, Charles Dewey and Hugh S. Ross were admitted to the bar.
Twenty-one indictments were returned by the grand jury, fifteen for assault
and battery, foiu- for affray, one for counterfeiting, and one for attempting
to steal a hog.
ROLLIN C. DEWEY, FIRST RESIDENT ATTORNEY.
Rollin C. Dewey and James Bramin were admitted to the legal practice
during theOctol)er term, 1820. and the former became the first resident at-
torney of the county. Rollin C. Dewey was a native of Massachusetts and a
very competent lawyer, although in many ways a failure, in part, due to lack
of direction. He was afterwards elected justice of the peace, an office which
he filled very creditably. His death occurred in 1832, of the cholera.
At this October term, 1820, John Bailey was fined thirty-seven and one-
half cents for assaulting Vv'inthrop Foote, the prosecuting attorney. Also
the order of the court to pay Foote seventy-five dollars for service during the
year M'as rejected liy the altruistic prosecutor. John Anderson, mentioned
before, was again in the dock for his characteristic ferociousness, and was
fined the startling sum of six dollars, four and one-tenth cents. William
Fields gave his commission of associate judge for seven years, and, being
qualified, entered the position. At this term, the name of the sheriff appeared,
Joseph Glover, in his case with Robert M. Carlton.
At the March term, 1822, William ^^^ ^^'ick, of another circuit, was
the presiding judge. It was he who quit after three years service because
"it was starving him out." Judge Wick also presided at the June temi, and
then the following were admitted to the bar: Addison Smith, John Kings-
bury, Thomas M. Allen, Henry A. Coward and James Whitcomb. This was
the Whitcomb A\ho later became governor of Indiana. At that time he was
LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. II7
a struggling young lawyer in fjloomington, Monroe county, and practiced
at this bar until 1836. He died while a member of the United States Senate.
.SLANDER SUIT.S.
The Hon. Ben Blackwell took the office of presiding judge in the Septem-
ber term, 1822, and in this session came the first slander trial of the county.
The case was James L. Mitchell vs. Thomas McMannis. The plaintiff re-
ceived thirty-fi\e dollars. With the inception of this slander case, they became
the fad. The majority of trials for the next few years were for abusive
words, or other causes, which make up a slander charge. At one time there
were eleven cases on the docket. The Glover-Foote case was perhaps the
most notable of these old cases, and from that particular one many others
were born, and assumed equally as large proportions.
In the June term, 1823, Henry P. Thornton. Edgar C. Wilson, Thomas
H. Blake and James Whitcomb were admitted to the bar. This was the sec-
ond time for Whitcomb, and it probably resulted from an oversight. Thorn-
ton was a picturesque example of the old-time attorney. He was born in
North Carolina, educated in Kentucky, and trained in the law courts of south-
ern Indiana. His legal experience had included clashes with such men as
Amos Lane, James Marshall. Stevens, Cai-penter, Howk, Harbin H. Moore
and others. He was not a great and powerful lawyer ; he was too lenient with
his opponent to be so, but he was a conscientious, faithful and exact attorney,
and commanded the universal esteem and respect of his friends and clients.
The Indiana Fanner, published at Salem, Avas ordered to receive and
publish record of the John Connelly-Susannah Connelly divorce case, and in
the same term of court it was ordered that RoUin C. Dewey be appointed
prosecuting attorney, in place of Winthrop Foote, who resigned. Three
indictments were returned against supervisors of highways, namely : Hiram
Donica, Elijah Currj' and Bartholomew Thatcher. At this time the first alien
was made a citizen of the United States in this court. Samuel Wilson, an
Irishman, so declared his intention. Samuel Lockhart also renounced the
English government, and was made an American citizen.
In the April term, 1824. John F. Ross, his commission duly signed by
Governor William Hendricks, took his seat as judge of the second circuit.
John H. Sampson was the only gentleman admitted to the bar during this
term. An application was made at this time by John A. Smith for a pension,
in return for his services during the Revolutionary war. After this, there
were many such cases before the court.
Il8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FIRST ARSON CASE.
In the same term, .Vpril, 1824, occurred the first arson case of Lawrence
county. It was listed in the records as "The State vs. James Taylor, Pleasant
Taylor and William Leaky." James Taylor and Leaky were exonerated,
but Pleasant Taylor was not so fortunate. He was given a year in the state
prison. At this session Daniel Rogers was recommended to the county bar;
Ebenezer Post applied for l>enefits due him for Revolutionary service. Rollin
C. Dewey was appointed to the oflice of master of chancery.
At the April term, 1825. William Connelly and John D. Laughlin were
qualifiied as associate justices. John Lowrey was continued for seven years
as clerk of the circuit court, he having already served seven years. William
W. Wick (late judge), Reuben W. Nelson and Hugh L. Livingston were
admitted to practice. Mr. Li\'ingston, a native of South Carolina, was an-
other resident attornev of Lawrence countv for a number of years, sharing
the honor with Mr. Dewey. He afterward moved to Bloomfield and Sullivan,
where he practiced. In the August term, 1825, John Kingsbury was selected
as state prosecutor.
FIRST COURT AT BEDFORD.
On Februarv 6. 1826, the first term of the circuit court was held in the
city of Bedford, the seat of justice having been removed from Palestine. On
the east side of the public s([uare, in a two-stoiy log house, on the ground
afterward occupied by the Gardner Imilding. this court was held. The build-
ing was in poor condition, the cracks between the logs open, the house without
paint, and a general air. of destitution about the place. Often the juries
reached a verdict while sitting on the logs back of the building. The records
kept by the clerk and recorder were in the upper story.
Harbin H. Moore and Milton Stapp were admitted to the bar in the
August term, 1826, and in the April term, 1827, Heniy Handy, N. G. Howard.
Isaac Howk. William K. Howard and Albert S. White were admitted. Mr.
Howk was the father of Judge Howk. later of the state supreme court. Mr.
White was in after years a member of Congress, serving two temis. In the
August, 1^27, term. John Farnham was admitted. Many cases were tried
during this term, chief among them being the application of Patrick McManus
for a pension ; the furnishing of a guard for Jameson Hamilton, convicted
of assault and battery with intent to kill George Miller. In April, 1828,
James Collins was admitted to the legal bar.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
19
Perhaps one of the most notable cases of this day was the one of Ezekiel
Blackwell vs. the Board of Justices of Lawrenc-e county. Blackwell had re-
fused to take lots in Bedford corresponding to his lots in Palestine, and he
had sued the county for the value of his lots in that town before the removal
of the county seat. The supreme court reversed the lower court, and the
case went, on change of \enue, to Washington county.
The April term, 1829, saw the admission of Enos Fletcher to the bar, and
the trying of a hog marking case, by a jury of three, namely, Stever Younger,
Horatio Jeter and Elbert Jeter. John Lowrey, clerk, resigned, and John
Brown was appointed pro tem. Brown was regularly commissioned for
seven years at the next court. Another Bedford lawyer appears on the rec-
ords at this juncture, \\'illiani R. Slaughter, a native of Virginia. He began
the practice of law in a frame shanty, represented the county in the Legisla-
ture, and was afterwards appointed register of the land offices in Michigan.
Other distinguished men were admitted to the bar soon after this, among
them being Tilghman A. Howard, partner of James Whitcomb at Blooming-
ton. He was elected to Congress, and came near being both senator and
governor. He held the office of charge d'afTaires to Texas, a republic then,
in 1844, and in that southern land he met his death. Howard was admitted
to the bar in March. 183 1. In March. 1832, Pleasant Pagett and Joseph
Athon were made associate justices, and Robert Mitchell, clerk. Richard W.
Thompson was admitted in September. 1833. and at the Septeml^er term.
1833, Oliver H. Allen and Phrelan G. Paugh were admitted. John H.
Thompson presided at this term, and was later succeeded by John H. Allen.
In September. 1835. Elsy Woodward was placed as associate judge in place
of Joseph Athon, who resigned.
FIR.ST MURDER CASE.
The first murder indictment returned by the grand jury in Lawrence
county was in May. 1843. 3-nd against Polly Ann Wymore. The jury pro-
nounced the verdict of not guilty.
EMINENT ATTORNEYS AND JUDGES.
There are certain names linked with the legal history of Lawrence county
which became notable in the annals of the state as a whole. Some of them
are as follows : James Hughes. Jonathan K. Kinney, George H. Monson,
John H. Butler, Cyrus L. Dunham. John J. Cummiiis, Daniel Long. William
120 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
T. Otto took the place of David McDonald on the bench, and Alexander Butler
became an associate judge. William W. Williamson, William A. Porter and
Frank Emerson were also admitted to the bar. In the November term, 1846,
McDonald presided, the clerk was Gus Clark, and the sheriff, Felix Raymond.
Andrew J. Simpson, George A. Thornton, Samuel W. Short, John A. Miller,
T. R. E. Goodlet and Curtiss Dunham were admitted during this year and in
1847. In 1848, Lovell H. Rousseau, Jesse Cox, Jacob B. Low, A. B. Carlton
and George A. Buskirk were added to the list of attorneys. In 1850 A< G.
Cavins, Alexander McCleland and E. D. Pearson were admitted.
NEW COURTS.
George A. Bicknell took his .seat as sole judge in March, 1853, and the
reversion to the one-judge style of court created no little dissatisfaction among
the legal men of the time. The associate justices became a thing of the past.
John Edwards, Morton C. Hunter, Nathaniel McDonald, Horace Heffron and
Newton F. Malott were admitted during the term this change was made.
Others who became members of the Lawrence county bar in the years
following shortly after were : John D. Ferguson, Thomas L. Smith, Jonathan
Payne, J. S. Buchanan, Frank Emerson, Thomas M. Brown, I. N. Stiles, W.
W. Browning, Samuel P. Crawford (ex-governor of Kansas), S. H. Bus-
kirk, A. C. Voris, William Weir, William R. Harrison, Francis L. Neff,
E. E. Rose, *P. A. Parks, C. T. Woolfolk, William Herod, Oliver T. Baird,
A. D. Lemon, Newton Crook, William Paugh, Gideon Putnam, Theodore
Gazley, John H. Martin. Thomas L. Smith, Michael C. Kerr, Fred T. Brown,
R. C. McAfee, Lycurgus Irwin, Madison Evans. Alfred Ryers.
MURDER CASES.
In the September term, i860, the case of the State vs. John Hitchcock,
murder in the first degree, came up for trial. Hitchcock shot a man named
Graham, who was pursuing him for stealing a horse. The court sent Hitch-
cock to prison for a life term, but he afterward escaped and was never heard
from. At one time during his incarceration he begged Governor Morton to
be allowed to enlist in the army, but his request was refused.
In September, 1862, Jefferson Brannan was indicted for the murder
of Thomas Peters. After nine years of haggling, the case finally came up
for trial, in September, 1871, and Brannan was given a prison sentence, dur-
ing the service of which he died.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 121
The case of the State vs. WiUiam Sanders, charged with a triple murder
in Orange count)^ came up in the March term, 1867, and the defendant had
such attorneys as Daniel W. Voorhees, Thomas B. Buskirk and Putnam and
Friedley. The prosecutor was Robert M. Weir, assisted by Francis Wilson,
of Orange county. The jury failed to agree, and the defendant gave bond
for eight thousand dollars for each of the three cases, in security for his
appearance next term. He never appeared, and nothing was ever done with
the bond.
The State vs. John IT. Morrow and Luzetta V. Christopher was one of
the most conspicuous of the early murder trials. Morrow was residing at
the home of Mrs. Christopher's husband, and late one night the neighbors
found the body of Christopher, wounded by knife cuts. Morrow himself,
Mrs. Christopher, and the children were all more or less injured by knife
wounds. Morrow and Mrs. Christopher were indicted and the first trial re-
sulted in a ''hung jury."' Afterwards, however, the two were convicted for
a term of years. Mrs. Christopher died in the woman's prison at Indianapolis.
In February, 1874, W, T. Walters, W. A. Land and D. O. Spencer
were admitted, and in May Samuel C. Wilson, William Farrell and John R.
East. In 1875. M. C. Hunter, Jr.. Albert H. Davis, Allan W. Prather and
C. W. Thompson were admitted: in 1876, B. E. Rhoades, C. F. McNutt
and Harry Kelly; in 1877, James McClelland, Ben Hagle, H. H. Edwards,
S. B. Voyles, Frank Branaman and Fred T. Rand; in 1878, John Q. Voyles,
H. H. Friedley. Thomas G. Mahan, Gen. W. T. Spicely, C. H. Burton,
Joseph R. Burton, Aaron Shaw, John T. Dye and L. C. Weir; in 1879,
John S. Denny, D. H. Ellison, J. H. Willard, Ferdinand S. Swift, George
A. Thornton; in 1881. Simpson B. Lowe, S. S. Mayfield and John M.
Stalker; in 1882. Harry C. Huffstetter. and in 1884. Francis B, Hitchcock
and Eli K. Millen. Oificial records show that the resident attorneys of Bed-
ford at this time were E. D. Pearson, George W. Friedley, John Riley,
Newton F. Crooke, George O. Iseminger, James H. Willard. Moses F.
Dunn. George G, Dunn. Robert N. Palmer. W. H. Martin, Samuel D.
Luckett, Simpson Lowe and F. B. Hitchcock.
About the year 1882 the narrow gauge railroad case was the main inter-
est of the county. Subscriptions had been made to the road, and a tax
amounting to forty thousand dollars voted by Shawswick township. Eflforts
were made to nullify the payment of this tax, but was unsuccessful after
going through many courts and employing the efforts of the ablest lawyers
of the day. the case being heard in the Monroe. Washington and Orange
countv courts and in United States courts.
122 T.A\\RENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The court of common pleas, when estabHshed, was very Hmited, but
afterward was ,^■i^'en more scope. It did all probate work, with limited
criminal and civil jurisdiction. The first judge was J. R. E. Goodlet, and
he took his seat in January, 1853. Others who occupied the position were
Col. Frank Emerson, Ralph Applewhite, Beaty McClelland and J. D. New.
PRESENT BAR OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
The following is a list of the attorneys practicing at the Lawrence
county bar in 1913 :
At Bedford — John D. Alexander, James E. Borufif, Ray R. Borufif,
Thomas J. Brooks. William F. Brooks, Logan R. Brow^ning, William E.
Clark, Moses F. Dunn, Fred N. Fletcher, Albert J. Fields, Charles R.
Gowen, George O. Iseminger, Joseph S. Ikerd, Harold Kelley, Simpson B.
Lowe, William H. Martin, Walter J. Mosier, William R. Martin, Lee E.
Ragsdale, Robert L. Mellen, McHenry Owen, Henry P. Pearson, Robert N.
Palmer, Eli B. Stephenson, John L. Smith, John H. Underwood, Thomas C.
Underwood, F. Marshall Woolery, James A. Zaring.
At Oolitic — H. L. Paxton.
At Mitchell — Samuel S. Doman, John H. Edwards. Calvin Paris, Joseph
Giles.
CHAPTER XL
LAWRENCE COUNTY MEDICAL HISTORY.
Perhaps there is no harder topic to write upon, in the annals of any
county, than that of the medical profession, from the fact that physicians,
either through lack of time or inclination, seldom keep records of their prac-
tice and of the various meetings of medical associations that in almost all
counties are formed from time to time. Yet, the family physician is always
on hand with the earliest settlement in almost every community. He goes
with the tread of pioneer life and is ever watchful after the health and life
of his fellow men. He has ever been noted for his daring and self-sacrificing
life, even braving the severest of wintry storms, over almost impassable roads,
in the face of great hardships, frequently at the jeopardy of his own life.
He was in an early day read}' to leave his own warm bed to face a biting
frost to gain the bedside of some sick man, woman or infant, without regard
to the financial standing of his patient. The books of early-day doctors were
filled with accounts for services for which not a farthing was ever forth-
coming. Unaided by the modern hospitals and surgical appliances, these
old-time doctors used to manage to set the broken or dislocated limbs and
care for the ugly wounds of tlieir patients, in a most remarkable manner,
and usually with great success.
With the march of years and decades, the science of medicine has
greatly advanced, until today the cases that once seemed hopeless are treated
with ease and a good degree of certainty. The mode of administering medi-
cine has also materially changed in the last fifty years. The schools of
medicine, whose name has come to be Tegion, are all more liberal than in
former davs, and the day has forever gone when a "regular" looks down
with a sneer on the work of a homeopath or even an osteopath practitioner.
It will be impossible, for the reasons given, to give much concerning
the life and character of the early physicians in Lawrence county, Imt some
tribute should be here appended to their memory.
EARLY AND .SUBSEQUENT PHYSICIANS.
It is not positively asserted, but generally believed, that the first doctor
to practice medicine in Lawrence county was Dr. Winthrop Foote, who was
124 r.AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
in Bedford when the town was laid out as a county seat. He was also ad-
mitted to the legal profession here in 1819, and became an attorney of some
note, but he is said to have been a better judge of medicine than of law.
He was a native of Connecticut and had superior educational advantages.
He was a man of eccentric manners, of extended information, of pungent
wit and fine conversational powers. He was universally known throughout
this county in the early days of its settlement.
Dr. William W. Yandell, a native of Tennessee, born in 1828, had an
exciting youth and young manhood. He was one of a number who caught
the 1849 California "gold fever" and crossed the plains in that eventful year.
He also \isited tlie Sandwich islands, as well as the uncivilized man-eating
Fijis. He carried on speculation and mined much until 1855, when he came
home and took up the study of medicine. He attended medical schools in
Louisville. Kentucky, and located at Bryantsville, this county, in 1858, re-
maining until 1861, when he became a private soldier in Company K, Seven-
teenth Indiana Regiment. He served until honorably discharged in 1865.
He then resumed practice at Knoxville, Indiana, but in 1874 removed to
Huron, Lawrence county, where he continued in active practice.
Dr. A. W. Bare, born in Indiana in 1826, died in 1910. He graduated
at Hanover College, Indiana, in 1848, read medicine and entered Louisville
Medical University, practiced medicine at Brownstown, finally locating in
Bryansville. where he built up an excellent practice. From 1864 to 1865
he was assistant surgeon, located most of the time at Louisville.
Dr. William H. Smith, born in Salem, this state, in 1830, died in Bed-
ford in i()i2. He entered the Corydon Seminary, and later the college at
Bloomington. and studied medicine under Dr. Elijah Newland, of Salem.
He attended Louisville Medical College and Bellevue Hospital Medical Col-
lege, New York City. He located at Leesville, this county, in 1863, prac-
ticed medicine, and also was a merchant and successful farmer. He owned
at one time nine hundred acres of land and had much live stock. He was a
Freemason and in politics was a Democrat.
Dr. Elihu S. Mclntire, bom in Marietta, Ohio, in 1832, was reared on
his parents" farm in Spencer county, Indiana, began teaching at the age of
nineteen years, and soon thereafter took up the study of medicine. In the
autumn of 1856 he entered the medical department of the Iowa University
at Keokuk, graduating in the spring of 1858, and at once commenced the
practice of his profession at Dallas City, Illinois, but in 1862 enlisted and
was appointed assistant surgeon of the Seventy-eighth Illinois Regiment.
He resigned in 1863 and went to practicing in Crawfordsville, Indiana, re-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I25
mained there until 1865, then came to Mitchell, this countv, where he soon
became a leading doctor of his community. Subsequently, the Doctor aban-
doned his profession and edited the Mitchell Coimnercial for eleven years.
He was a strong anti-slavery man; in church connections a Methodist, and
was a member of the Masonic order. As both a physician and editor he
had few superiors in Lawrence county.
Dr. John B. Larkin was born in Burlington. VernKjnt. in 1833. of Irish
parentage. He followed farm life with his father, attending the common
schools. He also worked in cotton and woolen mills in the New England
states and at Newburg, New York, until 1852, then went South, visiting
several cities by flat-boat. Tn 1854 he went to Ripley county, Indiana, taught
school and went to Shelbyville. Illinois, where he attended an academy,
taught and studied medicine. He then attended medical college at Ann Arbor,
Michigan, and commenced the practice of medicine at Huron, this county.
In August, 1862, he enlisted and was made an assistant surgeon, later sur-
geon, serving till the end of the Civil war, then located in Mitchell, this county,
where he was still in practice in the eighties. He was a graduate of the
Hospital Medical College of Louisville and won class honors there. He was
made secretary of the board of medical examiners for pensions at Mitchell.
He was an Odd Fellow, and in his church relations was of the Methodist
faith.
Dr. William T. Ellison, born in 1849, ''^ Lawrence county. Indiana, re-
mained at home until his father's death in 1867, when he began the study of
medicine with Dr. May, with whom he remained some time, finally graduating
at Bellevue Hospital Medical College. He commenced practice in Illinois,
but two years later located at Heltonville, this county, where he soon won a
fine medical practice. He was a consistent member of the Christian church,
and in politics was a Democrat.
Dr. John H. Faucett was born in Orange county, Indiana, in 1840. In
1 86 1 he enlisted in Company K, Forty-ninth Indiana Regiment, and was at
the famous siege of Vicksburg, where he was severely wounded. Having
been honorably discharged in 1863, he came home and in 1866 commenced
the study of medicine at Kecksville, Indiana ; graduated in 1874 from the
Missouri Medical College, St. Louis, having practiced some, however, prior
to that time. He first located at Trinity Springs. Indiana, remained until
1876, when he went to Fayetteville, Lawrence county, wliere he was last
known as being among the leading doctors of that section.
Dr. Harvey Voyles, born in Indiana in 1840, was educated at the public
schools and worked at farm labor. He attended the Salem Academv and
126 I.AWRF.XCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
also Bloomington ("olle.s^e (Indiana State University). In 1874 he com-
menced the study of his profession in the offices of Dr. James B. Wilson, at
Salem, later attending the medical department of the Louisville University,
from which, he graduated in 1877, immediately beginning practice at South
Boston, Indiana, remained two years, then located at Trinity Springs. After
three years there he came to Fayetteville, this county, where he remained in
practice many years. He was a Republican and cast his first vote for Presi-
dent U. S. Grant.
OTHER EARLY PHY.SICIANS.
At Leesville, prior to 1880, was Dr. John C. Gavins.
At Fayetteville an early-day doctor was Dr. Henry Voyles.
At Silverville were Drs. S. D. Honnocher and J. S. Blackburn.
At Mitchell were Drs. A. J. McDonald, J. B. Uarkin, G. W. Burton, E.
S. Mclntire, J. C. Pearson. A. L. Goodwin.
At Bono were Drs. Walter Kelso, James Montgomery, George L. Dunn,
Hicks. Manuel, Hugh Montgomery, Henry Malott, E. P. Gibson. I. J. Hop-
per.
At Lawrenceport were Drs. Knight, Charles A. Pearson, Maybury,
Price, Newkirk, William A. Sloss, I. D. Kulkley, Ebberley, George Hort-
bin. I. N. Plummer, G. W. Durment. A. F. Berry, T. W. Bullitt and J. A.
Andrews.
At Tunnelton were Drs. Hugh L. Kimberlin, William Graves, J. L.
Linder, Davis, L. A. Crim, H. C. Dixon, Samuel B. Howard.
At Huron were Drs. McCullough. David Chase, G. W. White, Springer.
Rodney N. Plummer. Edward Millis. H. Gather. William Yandell.
At Bryantsville were Drs. James Wilson. I. A. Rariden. A. L. Goodwin,
A. W. Bare. Laban Palmer.
At Springville were Drs. John Lyon (first), Henry Lingle (1835), P.
G. Paugh, S. Lamb, R. G. Norvell, L. S. Spore, J. Huntington, F. W. Beard,
Macey SheUhm, J. T. Woodward, W. B. Woodward. J. G. Gunn, Milton
Short. James Beatty.
Dr. Voyles moved to Bedford in 1890, since which time he has been in
active practice, being the present health officer of the city.
Dr. Samuel A. Rariden, who was born July i, 1814. was a prominent
physician in Bedford from the early fifties till his death, on May 29, 1897.
He was also a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church many years
and was a great power for g<ind. leading many a man toward a higher and
better life.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 1 27
Dr. Samuel Denson was born on August 8, 1802, and died September
18, 1888. He attended the Indiana University, but on account of the cholera
scare he left that institution and finished at Jefferson Medical College. Phila-
delphia.
Dr. John Wesley Newland was born in this county in 1827, died in
October, 1909. He studied with his cousin. Dr. Benjamin Newland, of
Bedford, graduated at the University of Louisville, came to Bedford in 1857,
was two years at Leesville and was in active practice in Bedford till he re-
tired in 1900. He was very successful in a business way. He was a popular
preacher in the Christian church many years and was an elder in the First
Christian church at Bedford over fifty years. He enjoyed a distinction which
rarely comes to any man, having ushered one baby girl into the world, as
attending physician ; officiated as minister when she was married ; ushered
her eldest daughter into the world and performed the ceremony when she
was married. His death was touching, in that immediately after he offered a
fervent prayer in the First Christian church, he was stricken with apoplexy
and died.
Dr. Benjamin Xewland, born in this county in 182 1. the son of William
Newland, was for many years one of the most prominent physicians in all
southern Indiana, being in 1879 president of the State Medical Society. He
died April 5. 1889.
Dr. Joseph Stillson, a native of the East, located here in the forties and
practiced his profession probably forty years, dying about 1878.
PRESENT PR.\CTICING PHYSICIANS.
In the autumn of 1913 the following, and possibly a few more, were in
the practice of medicine in Lawrence county :
At Bedford— Drs. H. Voyles. J. T. Freeland, R. B. Short, J. H. Hatta-
ger, J. R. Pearson, N. E. Mattox. O. B. Norman, H. K. Corey, M. Simpson.
C. H. Emery, E. L. Perkins. A. J. McDonald. C. E. Rariden, E. E. Mitchell,
J. B. Duncan.
At Williams— Dr. J. T. McFarlan.
At Mitchell — Drs. J. C. Kelley, J. D. Byrnes. John Gibbons. George
Gibbons, W. C. Sherwood.
At Oolitic — Drs. R. B. Short. 01i\'er McLaughlin, Claude Dollins, Ray.
At Leesville— Dr. S. W. Smith.
At Lawrenceport — Dr. J. A. Andrews and T. N. Bullitt.
At Tunnelton— Dr. H . I. Matlock.
128 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
Here, as in nearly every county, there have been efforts to maintain
medical societies, or associations. Some have succeeded for a time and some
have "died a bornin'." The first attempt at these societies was in 1853,
when a famous mal-practice suit had brought a large number of physicians
together, and a meeting was held and a partial organization was effected, a
code of medical ethics and a fee formulated. This was short-lived,
though many interesting meetings were held as the result. In 1864 a meet-
ing was held at Bedford to try and revive the society whose early days had
been so checkered in its career. The following physicians were at this meet-
ing, and are here given, as they will show who were among the physicians of
that day : Drs. John C. Gavins, W. H. Smith, Ben Newland, S. A. Rariden,
J. W. Newland, Joseph Stillson, W. Burton, J. B. Larkin, Isaac Denson,
John A. Blackwell, G. W. Burton, W. B. Woodward, F. W. Beard, John
Burton, James Dodd, P. G. Pugh, A. W. Bare, T. P. Conley, H. C. Malott,
H. L. Kimberlin, J. T. Biggs, J. J. Durand, Hiram Malott. John Gunn and
several others.
This organization seems to have been postponed until 1866, at which
time it was really effected, and was then conducted for several years, with
much profit to the members and was still in existence in the eighties. In
1875 it became a branch of the State Medical Society. In 1883 its officers
were: Drs. E. D. Laughlin, president; E. S. Mclntire, vice-president; G. W.
Burton, secretary ; S. A. Rariden, treasurer ; W. H. Smith. A. L. Berry and
Hamilton Stillson, censors. The records further cannot be given, as they
were unfortunately lost. The society is now in a flourishing condition and
meets each month at some convenient place in the county. It has about thirty
members at present, September, 1913. Its officers are; President, Dr. Rich-
ard B. Short; vice-president. Dr. John A. Gibbons; secretary and treasurer,
Dr. F. S. Hunter; censors. Dr. Claude Dollins. Dr. J. D. Byrnes and Dr.
Morrill Simpson ; delegate to state society meeting. Dr. J. T. McFarlin ; alter-
nate. Dr. E. E. Mitchel.
CHAPTER XII.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
That the pioneer band who first settled the wilds of Lawrence county
were of a religious turn of mind and believed in rearing their sons and
daughters in the way of religious teachings, is made clear to the reader of
this chapter, for it will here be seen that no sooner had the pioneer set his
stakes and provided a shelter for his little flock, than he set about supplying
his neighborhood with rude churches and invited the itinerant preachers who
chanced along this way to preach the Word to them.
Guthrie township, as now understood, has the honor of being the first
to entertain a preacher in Lawrence county. Something more positive than
mere tradition says that early in 1816 Armenius Milligan, a Methodist
preacher, located near present Tunnelton, and there held a meeting and con-
tinued to do so at his and neighboring cabins. These were no doubt the
earliest religious services held within Lawrence county.
Among those who worshiped with him were the Chitties, Bakers, Becks,
Guthries, Flinns, Conleys. Brittons and Barnhills. Ambrose Carlton landed
December 24th on Guthrie creek from North Carolina. But he had a merry
Christmas with his neighbors the next day, and talked religion from the
start. His little log house used to stand on the hill by Carlton's graveyard,
and here he constituted a Baptist church in the first year of his sojourn.
Soon he built a large brick residence, in which was a very large room, with
unusual high ceilings, and the young people of modern times would say,
"What a glorious place to dance." But this place was known as the Carlton
home, and this room was designed for religious services, once each month, at
most.
METHODIST CHURCHES OF THE COUNTY.
Among the first, if indeed not the first, Methodist societies formed
in this county was that in Indian Creek township, before the first Shiloh
church was erected. Several families by the name of Garten had immigrated
from Kentucky, all of whom were of this religious faith. Richard Browning
was a Methodist "circuit rider" in old Kentucky and became a local preacher
(9)
130 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
at Shiloh. In 1821 a small log church was built on Mr. Pitman's place and
it was named Shiloh church. It was three miles to the east of Fayetteville.
Rev. Browning served as pastor eight years, when he was drowned. At one
time Bishop Roberts preached on this charge. In 1840 a large frame church
was built and was still in use. The Presbyterians also used this building for
services some years.
The Springville Methodist Episcopal church was formed about 1822 or
1823. It was at the old pioneer Athons school house, where meetings were
held ; Josiah Athons gathered a small company and held services there. The
first preacher was John May. In 1838 a new church was provided through
the efforts of the minister, James Williams, and his good wife. The building
stood in town at Springville, and it was a neat, solid brick building, placed
on land donated by Mr. Athons. It was destroyed by fire in 1868. but in 1874
another was erected and in 1884 the society numbered seventy.
The Bedford Methodist Episcopal church dates back to 1826, when a band
of Methodist people organized themselves into a class. Among the first
members were such honored names as George McKnight, and wife, Mrs.
Joseph Rawlins, Mrs. Joseph Glover, Ellen Peters, Mrs. Campbell and daugh-
ters, Alexander Butler and wife and Robert Dougherty and wife, with a
score more others. The first minister, Rev. Edmond Ray, was a remarkable
man. Also another preacher here was none less than Bishop Roberts, so
well known in the Indiana conference. The first presiding elder (district
superintendent now) was John Armstrong. In September, 1835. land was
bought of John J. Barnett, on which a large building was erected. Later it
was used bv the Roman Catholic denomination, and stood on the corner of
High and Culbertson streets. It served the Methodists thirty-five years. Its
bell was the first that ever sounded out to churchgoers in Bedford. About
1870 the society purchased the Old-School Presbyterian church building,
which was used until 1899, when the present church was erected. In 1884 the
church had a membership of one hundred and twenty-five and was out of
debt. In 1899 the present magnificent edifice was erected at a cost of thirty-
five thousand dollars. In a few years the parsonage was added and an annex,
connecting all three buildings, all constructed of Bedford stone. The entire
property was valued in 1913 at fifty-six thousand dollars. The present
membership of this church is one thousand thirty-six.
The Methodist church at Lawrenceport originated from the little colony
of settlers that accompanied Mr. Lawrence from Maryland. Among these
were Alonzo Taylor, Stuart Moore, Joseph Moore, Dr. Samuel K. Knight,
Charles and Tohn Reed. Manv returned to Maryland, but not until a church
LAWRENCE AXD itONROE COUNTIES,
31
had been planted. Almost the first buildings erected were a school and
church house in 1837. To them came Bishop Roberts. In 1885 this society
had sixty members, but no regular church building.
The Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal church was formed by the
Craigs. Hacklers and others about 1847. ^^id that year they built a church.
It was, of course, of logs and was situated near the later Hackley residence,
and it had open windows for lack of glass. The first preacher in charge was
Rev. James McCann. The church served ten years and was then burned,
but was rebuilt in 1865 ; however, being too small, a larger house was erected
two years later. Bishop Simpson dedicated this church. Thirty constituted
its membership in 1885.
From an accurate account of the ^Methodist Episcopal church at Mitchell,
published in the Couuncrciol in 1874, the following is learned :
In a grove near where the church later stood, the first class was formed
in the somber days of the autumn of 1856. Thirteen united in this effort,
and a few weeks later regular services were had. The first appointed minister
there was Rev. F. Walker, he having been sent there by the 1858 Indiana
conference. At the close of his third year he reported twenty-eight mem-
bers, and a Sabbath school of thirty members. In i860 a frame building was
erected. In 1884 this church enjoyed prosperity, with a membership of about
two hundred. A new church was built in 1874, at a cost of eight thousand
dollars, including the lot. One member, Jacob Finger, contributed two
thousand dollars towards this fine church edifice. With slight changes, this
building is still serving the congregation. In iqii a parsonage was com-
menced, which, with other improvements, amounted to an outlay of three
thousand dollars. The present membership of this church is three hundred
and seventy-five.
There is an account of where there were Methodist meetings held at
private homes as early as 1840, a mile and one-half from Mitchell.
Other churches of this denomination in the county are: The church at
Heltonville, with a membership of three hundred and seventy-four, in 1912;
the church at Mitchell, with two hundred and fourteen; the church at Oolitic
and Springville. with a membership of five hundred and twelve, in 1912; one
at Tunnelton. with a membership of three hundred and fifty-three, in 1912.
and the Bedford circuit.
THE BEDFORD GERMAN METHODIST CHURCH.
This society was organized first as a Presbyterian society, whose build-
ing stood where later stood Thomas Whitted's mill. The first and only pastor
]3-^ LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
this society ever had was Rev. Koph, who, in 1864, organized a church, but
he was not acceptable to his flock, and when, in 1866, Frederick Ruff, a
Methodist minister from New Albany, preached in Bedford, he won most of
the members to his faith. In 1871 Philip Duher preached for these people
regularly. In 1872 a small frame school house was purchased on Eastern
avenue, between IMitchell and Culbertson streets, which they converted into a
church. In the early eighties the membership numbered fifty-three.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The followers of Alexander Campbell, now styled "Christians," have
always been a strong, denomination in Lawrence county. Thirty years ago
they had twenty churches, but the following are all for which statistics
can now be given: Bartlettsville, 125 members; Bedford. 400; Bryantsville,
52; Christian Union, 60; Indian Creek, 32; Leatherwood, 300; Leesville, 13;
Mount Pleasant, 60; Port William, 67; Popcorn, 25; Springville, 100.
Indian Creek Christian church was at first a Baptist society. In 1818
a small company of believers of this faith met at the house of Wesley Short
and there an organization of a church took place. To Wesley Short and
Jonathan Jones must be ascribed the honor of founding this church, the first
in the township. In 1821 a building was erected ; it was small and constructed
of poles and had open windows. There was a large double chimney in the
center, with a double fire-place fronting each end of the room. So much
wood was consumed there that it was no uncommon sight to see some good
brother deacon coming to church with his Bible under one arm and a sharp
axe under the other. This building served until 1827, when the membership
had grown to be one hundred and twenty-seven. This was all under the care
of Wesley Short. It was in 1827 that the Old-School. Regular Calvinistic.
Iron-side, Hardshell Baptists, all of which names were applied to them,
withdrew and formed the Indian Creek Christian church. The chief leaders
were the Shorts, Mayfields and Armstrongs. A new church w^as built that
year, on Indian creek. It was made of logs, cut near by, and this served for
fifteen years, and some say twenty years. In 1846 John Short and wife deeded
land near Indian Creek bridge, upon which to erect a neat frame church. It
was thirty-five feet square and cost one thousand five hundred dollars. From
that date on the society was prosperous many years.
Leatherwood Christian church was first of that denominaiton ever estab-
lished in Lawrence county. This was effected in 1830, at the house of Robert
Woodv. five miles east of Bedford. The first members were inclusive of
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 33
these : William and Susan Newland, Robert and Norman Woody, Peter and
Margaret Smith, Martin Smith, Benjamin Hensley and Katy Peed. Martin
Smith was chosen evangelist. At the first meeting Stever Yoimger donated
one acre of ground on which to build a church. It was a log house, twenty-
five by thirty-five feet in size, furnished with slab seats. In 1840 a better
building was provided, which was of brick, forty by sixty feet, costing about
two thousand five hundred dollars. Later a finer edifice was erected. In
1850 the membership had reached four hundred. In 1884 it was the second
largest church of the denomination in this county, and had three hundred
membership.
Spring\'ille Christian church was established really through the breaking
away of Wesley Short from the old Baptist church in 1830 and accepting the
teachings of Alexander Campbell. In 1848 Campbell visited Mr. Short. In
the eighties, a grandson of Mr. Short, Ouincy Short, was pastor of this
church.
The Bedford Christian church has a history reaching back as far as
1835, although its written history only goes to 1846. In 1835 Elder J. M.
Mathes was induced to leave an appointment and preach at the Bedford court
house. For the next eleven years many of this faith came to this locality
and in May, 1846, Elders O'Kane and Jameson effected a permanent organi-
zation. For a few years they met at the school house and at the Baptist
church, later at the Presbyterian church, after which they provided them-
selves with a church building of their own. The corner stone of their build-
ing was set in 1854. The basement was partly finished and occupied in the
fall of 1855. In 1853 the membership was fifty-one; in 1856 it was seventy-
six; in 1858 it was one hundred and eighteen ; in 1864 it was two hundred and
fifty-two; in 1884 it had reached four hundred. Its [jresent niemliership is
about fourteen hundred.
The present magnificent stone edifice, near the federal building, was
erected in iQoo at a cost of thirty-seven thousand dollars. It occupies lots
next to the Methodist church, the two denominations holding the whole front
of the block, and their two buildings are the finest and largest within the
entire county.
The New Union Christian church was the result of a division in the old
Shiloh church. In a protracted meeting held by the Christians in 1867, Rev.
J. M. Mathes was reminded of the terms under which the society used the
building, that no sectarian sermons were to be preached. This hint was taken
and the Christian people went to a school house near by and conducted the
remainder of their services, and manv Methodists united with them. Ground
134 LAWRENCE AN1~» MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
for church and cemetery purposes were donated by WilHam Tannehill and a
large church was buiU. It cost one thousand dollars and was situated about
three miles to the west of Bedford.
The First Christian church of Mitchell, Indiana, was organized on
May 27, 1906. Previous to this formal organization much thought had been
given to the work, and many private exchanges of opinion had been made,
when a few would meet after the day's business had closed. On September 3,
1905, a very important meeting was held in the Methodist church, at which
meeting plans \vere agreed upon and never for a moment were these plans
altered or forgotten. The following scripture texts were read at that meeting:
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" ; "Neglect
not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is"; "Ask
and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto
you." Another very important meeting was held in the Baptist church, in
February, 1906. During this meeting L. H. Stine, then of Tipton, Indiana,
encouraged the people to a more determined effort. The Ladies Aid Society
was organized December t8, 1905. with sixteen members. Mrs. James W.
Batman was the first president, and Mrs. Wayne Gilly has the same position
at present. This organization has done a wonderful work for the advance-
ment of the church, having earned and collected several thousand dollars,
which has been spent in the Lord's work. The church building is a cement
brick veneer, erected by Ball Brothers, of Brownstown, Indiana. The seating
capacity is three hundred and twenty-five. The corner stone was laid on
Tune 8, 1907. This service was conducted by Brother Harley Jackson, of
Seymour, Indiana. The building was dedicated to divine worship on Septem-
ber 8, 1907, by F. M. Rains, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The total cost of building
and equipment was seven thousand dollars, and all loans have been paid.
They have the following evangelists and ministers to conduct special meet-
ings : T. J. Legg and Mrs. Lola Calvert, H. H. Clark, Harley Jackson, Rufus
Finnell and Miss F. Kimble, R. W. Abberly and WilHam Leigh. Regular
ministers have been as follows : E. S. Lewis, I. Konkle, H. J. Bennett and
H. A. Wingard. Others who have visited and encouraged the society are the
following: M. C. Hughes, Dr. J. W. Newland, E. Richard Edwards, Levi
Batman, John Williams, Ira Batman, Amzi Atwater, Quincy Short and John
W. Marshall. The church building has been open, and the Lord's table
spread every Lord's day since the building was dedicated to the Lord's work.
Their purpose is to exalt the Christ, and bring men and women into His king-
dom. The church was organized on May 27, 1906. by W. T. McGowan, of
Indianapolis. Indiana. There were about eighty charter members, and there
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 35
has been a steady growth, having enrolled five hundred and fifty names, with a
president resident membership of three hundred and twenty-five. The present
(1913) elders are J. W. Batman, W. S. Burris and John Cutsinger (non-
resident). The deacons are J. H. Landreth, Howard Chitty. Ambrose Hos-
tetler, A. O. Hackney, Marcus Smith, Harve Porter, Joseph Duncan. Trus-
tees, J. W. Batman, Columbus Smith and Ambrose Hostetler.
PRESENT CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.
In the autumn of 1913 there were the following churches of this faith
within the county, and possibly a few more smaller ones : Bedford, where
there is a membership of 1,513 enrolled, and property valued at $50,000. A
$37,000 church was erected in 1900 and in 1913 was all paid for and the
society had no debts hanging over its head.
At Mitchell the church had a membership of 325 and property valued at
$8,500.
At Guthrie, 50 members, with property valued at $600.
At Popcorn, a membership of 24 and a church valued at $300.
At New Union the value of the church is only $100, and the member-
ship is 55.
At Mount Union the church property is valued at S500, and the member-
ship is 80.
The Bridge church, near S])ringvi]le, is valued at $500, and the member-
ship is 12.
The Mundell church is valued at $800, and the membership is ioi._
There are churches at Tunnelton, Barlettsville, the Fishing Creek church
at Stonington, a work at Inhook, Heltonville. Mt. Pleasant and Bugs Chapel,
near Peerless. Also a good society at Leatherwood.
Perhaps the present property of this denomination in the county is valued
at about $75,000.
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
This is a branch of the original Christian, or earlier the Campbellite
church, founded by Alexander Campbell. It has been styled the "Anti church"
on account of its people not belie\'ing in the numerous modern attachments to
church society life, such as .Sunday schools, with the different leagues and
young people's societies, etc. Also they are opposed to the use of instru-
mental music in the churches, and also to the numerous missionary societies
carried on in most of the e\angelical churches of Christendom. Among the
136 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
followers in this county of this particular church are very many excellent
men and women, who tie their faith, as they see it, on the teachings of Christ.
This denomination has societies at Leesville, Mitchell, Bryantsville, Fay-
etteville, Oolitic and Bedford. Williams. Port William, Mount Olive, Fair-
view, Pin Hook. Bartlettsville.
The Bedford church of this denomination have a building on the corner of
Twelfth and K streets. It is a frame structure, erected in October. 1891, on a
lot donated the society by Thomas A. Whitted.
The church society was organized May, 1891, with about twenty-five men
and women of this faith. The first elders were William B. Church. William
Day, William H. Boruff. The first deacons were John W. May. Elmer U.
Johnson, Walter Quackenbush. Trustees were Thomas A. Whitted. William
Day, William H. Boruff. The membership in the auutmn of 191 3 Avas about
three hundred.
THE BAPTIST CHURCHES OF THE COUNTY.
The Baptists date back to about 18 18 in this county. The church in this
county, known as Salt Creek Baptist church, was one of the first to be formed
here. It was organized in October, 1821, and was a strong society. It was
really constituted in 18 19. The first church, which stood near the old Major
Williams farm, was of logs and stood until about 1874. It was this church
that split on the question of sending missionaries abroad and denounced the
doctrines of Alexander Campbell. In 1835 the church had difficulty over
doctrines and was divided. The church finally, in 1842. went down midst the
many wrecks of dogmas and foolish creeds.
Spice Valley Baptist church was formed June i. 1822, with Abram Mit-
chell as first pastor, under whose ministry the first log church was built. In
1842 a great revival occurred and many were added to the church, seventy-
five being immersed at one time. The first church was made from round
poles and it had a stick-and-dirt chimney at one end. It was built in 1827
and was very low to the ceiling. A stove was first put into it in 1832. The
house was burned about 1835, when it was being used as a school room. In
1837 a brick church was erected. For many years this was a strong society.
The Leesville Baptist church had its inception about 1837 three miles
southeast of Leesville and was called Brown's meeting house. It was only
four logs high, but so large were these logs that when hewn four of them made
the walls sufficient in height for a church building. When torn down, many
years later, these logs were taken to Leesville and there used for "side- walks."
In 1857 the membership was removed to the village of Leesville.
LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I37
Spring Creek Baptist church is one of the oldest in the county. It com-
menced its history at Springville. but in 1850 a division arose, causing a por-
tion of the members to remove to Avoca. Those who remained built a neat
frame church in 1878.
Guthrie Creek Baptist church was once with the White River Associa-
tion, and in Jackson county at one date. It was three miles northeast of Lees-
ville and was established in 1820 by John Kinkaid. John Woodmonson, Joseph
Hanna and Walter Owens. It never attained any considerable strength as a
church.
The Bedford Baptist church was the outgrowth of a two-weeks' revival
at Bedford in 1840 by Thomas Robertson, in the old court house. He con-
tinued in the Presbyterian church building a long time, and with success. In
June, that year, or possibly the next, a regular organization was perfected
and the membership grew rapidly. In May, 1843, land was procured by Mr.
Phelps at three hundred dollars on which to build. This was carried out and
the old brick church was erected, at a cost of one thousand five hundred dol-
lars. The first called pastor was Rev. T. N. Robertson. In 1850 the en-
rollment was one hundred and ten. Today (1913) the church has a member-
ship of alx)ut six hundred. It has a beautiful church home in an edifice built
of stone in 1899. which, with their parsonage, is valued at twenty-two thousand
dollars. The church is on the corner of Thirteenth and M streets.
The Springville Baptist church, not now in the field, had a wonderful
interesting history. It was constituted in 1825, chiefly through the influence
of Samuel Owens, who then owned much of the present site of Springville
village. He was one of the first ministers and members of the society whose
historv would be interesting, if it could be collected. Many of the members
finally went elsewhere.
The Baptist church of Mitchell was organized January 30, 1864, with the
following members : Rev. Simpson Burton, Carrie Burton. Allen C. Burton,
Adeline Burton, John Edwards, Lucy Edwards, Rachel Pless, Mary J. Pless,
Thomas Giles, Adeline Giles, Margaret Giles, Kate Owens, Mary Montanya,
Ann Giles, Matilda Dodson, Sarah Blachwell, Hugh McNabb and Sarah Mc-
Nabb. A brick building, costing some three thousand dollars, was erected in
connection with the Mitchell Educational Society. In this building was con-
ducted a school for several years, known as the Mitchell Seminary. The
church grew in influence and numbers. On the 15th day of December, 1901,
the building burned and on the 8th of February, 1903, a ten-thousand-dollar
building was dedicated. The church Avas organized with a membership of
nineteen, and the present membership is three hundred forty-six. The first pas-
138 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
tor was Wright Sanders, followed by Revs. Albert Ogle, 1868; A. J. Essex,
1872; Noah Harper, 1876: W. L. Greene, 1879; G. C. Shirt, 1881 ; B. J.
Davis, 1883; A. C. Watkins, 1887; C. M. Carter, 1888; D. M. Christy, 1891 ;
I. A. Hailey. 1892: J- B. Thomas, 1894: I. M. Kimbrough, 1898; E. R.
Clevenger, 1901 ; G. O. \A'ebseer, 1905; C. L. Maryman, 1906; C. A. Sigmon,
1908; W. E. Denham, 191 1 ; Charles Bebbs. 1912. The salaries have ranged
from five hundred to one thousand dollars, and after the first pastorate the
church has maintained all-time service.
Pleasant Grove Baptist churcli was formed in the sixties, when Michael
Waggoner donated land upon which to build a small frame meeting house.
J. Greggory was an early preacher and a faithful one, too. In 1874 the
building had to be enlarged. At many of the revivals there fifty and seventy-
five were brought into the church.
In the fifties there was a Missionary Baptist church formed at Helton-
ville. A frame church was erected and good work continued for some time,
but nothing of recent years.
The churches of this denomination in this county today are those at
Bedford, Gullet Creek, Avoca, Oolitic, Mitchell. Heltonville, Fayetteville, Sil-
verville, Springville, White River church. Huron, Tunnelton. These are all
the Missionary Baptist churches.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
The history of this denomination dates back, in this county, to 1819.
Two societies commenced work in Lawrence county during that year. The
one at Bedford commenced with the history of Palestine, the original county
seat town. In 18 19 Isaac Reed, who was a missionary from some one of the
Eastern states, entered Indiana to establish Presbyterian churches. He was a
genuine Yankee and traveled in a wagon, encountering many hardships and
exposures, which experience he pre.served in a book of his own writing. He
preached in the temporary court house at old Palestine and there organized a
small church society, of which Samuel Henderson and Philip Ikerd were eld-
ers. The first members were S. Henderson and family. P. Ikerd and family,
William Crawford and family and William Barnhill. Rev. Reed continued
to preach there until 1825, when the county seat was removed to Bedford.
W. W. Martin, father of C. B. H. Martin, D. D., also preached and was the
pastor for a time. The church at Palestine, however, did not remove its
headquarters until 183 1. On May 7th of that year, Isaac Reed called the
church members together, and it appears of record that the first membership
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 39
to organize at Bedford were William Crawford, Samuel Henderson and
Philip Ikerd, elders, and Lawrence [kerd. Christian Ikerd, Philip and Susana
Ikerd, Jonathan Henderson, Jane Henderson, Samuel and Rhoda Henderson,
William and Jane Crawford, Sarah McClelland, Sally Ikerd, James and Sarah
Wilson, Robert and Margaret Robinson, Alexander and Rebecca McKinney,
and Henry Lowrey. The majority of these persons resided to the east of
Bedford. Meetings were at first held at the court house and at the homes
of the membership. About 1840 a peculiar shaped brick house was erected
where later the Presbyterians erected their permanent church. It was built
by Jonathan Jones, and it was used until 1868, when a small brick church was
built. The last named was erected by Thomas Stephens, at a cost of seven
thousand dollars, and was considered a fine building at that date. It stood
on the corner of Lincoln and Sycamore streets. In 1848 the church was
divided into the Old and New-School factions. The Old School, being in
the minority, withdrew, leaving the New School in possession of the church
property. For their use the Old School, in 1850, built a large brick church
where later the Methodist church stood, on the corner of Church and Locust
streets. It \yas arranged for both school and church purposes, with a double
flight of stairs on the east end, outside. The lower story was divided into
several rooms for school purposes. When the Old and New Schools united
in 1859, the first building was the one occupied by the church thus formed.
The Old School building became the property of the Independent church, but
in 1866 it was purchased by the Methodists and by them remodeled for their
church home, and was in use in the eighties. The Presbyterian church had a
membership in 1884 of about eighty.
Today it has a membership of three hundred. The church edifice was
rebuilt in 1901, the old church being used in the rebuilding. This society is
said to be the strongest in this presbytery.
Beno Presbyterian church was formed in 1819 by Isaac Reed, the same
minister who formed the church at Palestine. The first elders were David
and William Green. Robert Kelso, Jonathan Huston and John Milroy. When
the school house was erected at Beno in 1823, it was also used for church
purposes, but early in the thirties a church house was built near the farm of
David Green. Here this society met until 1845, when, moving their mem-
bership to Lawrenceport, they met in a school house and church building com-
bined in one. In 1850 the Lawrenceport Presbyterian church was erected, and
there two presbyteries were held, 1850 and 1852. By 1880 the membership
was scattered and the Methodists held services in the old building.
Bethlehem Presbyterian church was reall)- a branch from the Bedford
140 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
church, and it was located in the Crawford settlement about 1840. Three
years later land was donated by William Crawford for church and grave-
yard purposes. The society went down before the Civil war period.
The Mitchell Presbyterian church, as seen by a descriptive article from
the pen of Thomas A. Steele, began with the organization of the Presbyter-
ian church at Woodville, two miles north of Mitchell, January 24, 1855. First
services were held in the school house at Woodville and continued there up
to i860. At this date the society was moved to Mitchell, where a small
frame church was erected and used for ten years. In 1870 it was moved to
another part of town, and a large brick edifice erected, largely the work and
influence of Silas Moore and wife, Mary E. Moore. It was a two-story build-
ing and in 1875 a high steeple was added, in which a town clock was placed.
The first minister was Rev. John A. Tiffany, from 1855 to 1858. The same
old two-story building of 1870 is still in use, with alterations and improve-
ments. January 16, 1886, the auditorium of the church having been furnished,
it was formally dedicated free of all debt and has served as a place of worship
ever since.
The following have served as pastors, beginning with 1883: Revs. S. J.
McKee, November, 1883, to November, 1884: J. H. Reed, May. 1885, to
April. 1887: ^\^ B. Harris, October, 1887, to April, 1891: H. J. Van Dyne,
October, 1891. to October, 1896: W. C. Hall, December, 1896, to May, 1898;
George \\'. Applegate. May, 1898, to May, 1900; H. C. Johnson, July. 1900,
to August, 1004: E. O. Sutherland. July, 1905. to July, 1907; S. M. Morton,
D. D., October. 1907, to October, 1912: A. E. Davis, July i, 1913, and is the
present pastor.
The various organizations of the church are now in a flourishing condi-
tion. The Sunday school is not the largest in town, but fully as vigorous as
any in Mitchell. In 1906 this school established a rest station in Korea, for
missionaries in the field. Woman's Home and Eoreign Missionary societies
are well cared for by the ladies of the local church. The present officers of
this church are : Elders. W. M. James. W. E. Stipp, W. F. Logle. W. G. Old-
ham; superintendent of Sunday school. W. G. Oldham. The faithful deacons
of the church are A. C. Ramage. Calvin Faris. W. H. Weitknech, Albert
McBride. George James.
OLD UNION CHURCH.
The second church in Indian Creek township was known as White River
Union, in later vears as the "Old Union Church." It was situated a mile
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I4I
south of the village of Fayetteville. The leader in this community was
Abraham Kern, an earnest, aggressive, original, ideal church worker. To the
first settlers he was truly an "Abraham of old," teaching what he believed to
be only God's word and will, and really he walked with God ! He taught the
Dunkard faith. In September. 1821, they organized a regular Dunkard
church, with charter members as follows : Abraham Kern and wife, William
Kern and wife, David Sears and wife, David Ribelin, Jane Anderson and
Daniel Oaks. Generally, they held meetings in the grove near their homes.
In 1823 a small log church was built, which stood near where later they built
a commodious church house. In 1843 they built a brick church, well lighted
and ventilated, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars.
THE SALVATION ARMY.
At Bedford the work of the Salvation Army was commenced in October,
1909. The work was opened by Captain O. A. Schnarr and Ensign Ira
Muncelle. In September, 191 3, the company had a membership of forty-four
soldiers and the original captain was in charge of the work. A temporary
barracks was leased on East Sixteenth street, but plans are being matured by
which a building will be erected for headquarters.
PENTICOSTAL CHURCH.
This religious society has been in existence in Bedford since about 1893,
and has had a church building since 1896, at No. 941 North I street. Their
membership now consists of about thirty faithful men and women. They aim
to follow Christ's teachings and are "antisecret society" in their belief and
creed. At one time they held meetings in tents hereabouts. For eighteen
years they have held street meetings near the public square, each evening,
when the elements would permit.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Although there were some Catholics in Lawrence county as early as
1835, regular mass was not held until the year 1850. Through the efforts of
Dr. Benjamin Newland, the court house was first used to hold the celebration
of mass, which was conducted by Rev. Patrick Murphy, of St. Mary's, Martin
county, in June, 185 1. He visited them after that date until 1859, when Rev.
Louis Nevron also visited the town. From i860 until 1864 Rev. Joseph
142 LAWREN'CE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
O'Reilly took charge, and during that time mass was either said in private
homes or in J. Francis's hall. The congregation then numbered about twenty-
five families.
With the arri\al of Rev. Philip Doyle, the next visiting pastor, came
also the idea of building a new church. Every preparation was made, and
work started, the corner stone being laid in 1866. A Methodist church next
door was the cause of a cessation of building, but in the midst of the predica-
ment Father Doyle departed, and Rev. Charles Mougin, of Crawfordsville,
^Montgomery county, began to attend. Under him the trouble was settled by
the Catholics buying the old Methodist church, and converting it into a Catho-
lic church. Rev. Mougin left in 1867.
Re\'. Julius Clement, of Greencastle, now made one visit. From 1868,
when Rev. Henry PI. Kessing became pastor at Bloomington, he regularly
attended I'.edford until July, 1877. \isiting the place once each month. His
successor at Bloomington, Rev. Leopold M. Burkhardt, from July, 1877,
until March. 1879, attended twice each month. After March, 1879, R^^'-
John B. Unverzagt had charge, and visited St. Vincent's church on alternate
Sundays, during which time many improvements were made on the church
property. In 1879 Rt. Rev. Francis S. Chatard, D. D., visited Bedford and
administered confirmation. Rev. Unverzagt was succeeded by Rev. T. X.
Fogan.
On June 15, 1885, Rev. W. Fl. Bogemann, of Bloomington, began to at-
tend Bedford on alternate Sundays, and he continued until the advent of Rev.
Theodore J. Mattingly, the first resident pastor, on October 30, 1902. During
his time of attendance. Father Bogemann constructed the present Catholic
church, a magnificent structure of Bedford limestone, and costing $21,191.60.
The church was built in the year 1893. and was dedicated on July 29, 1894,
alti'or.gh it had been used for services since March iith of that year.
During his residence in Bedford, Father Mattingly succeeded in paying
off all the debts incurred by the church, and also made improvements on the
old rectory. He stayed here until the month of November. 1904. From this
date until July, 1905, Father Bogemann visited again, holding services each
Sunday in both Bedford and Bloomington.
Rev. G. J. Lannert took charge of Bedford on July 14, 1905, and since
then has made many improvements.
Rev. Michael T. Shea arrived in Bedford in August, 1913. for the pur-
pose of caring for the Italians in the limestone quarry districts. The work
in these localities is pioneer effort, the benefits having to be built from the
verv beginning.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 143
At Mitchell, this county, a Roman Catholic church was erected in 1871,
due to the efforts of a few zealous Catholics who had previously held mass at
the homes of the faithful, and in Johnson's hall, Main street. Being solicitous
for the welfare of their children, the small congregation, fewer than a dozen
families, set to work to raise funds for a church building. The trustees were
John C. Donnell, William Boland, M. C. Keane and \\'illiam Gorman. It
seemed a great task for so few members, but by soliciting funds between
Washington and Seymour, Indiana, also by contributions from people of all
denominations at home, they were able to erect the present structure at a cost
of three thousand five hundred dollars. The lot was donated by Col. John
Sheeks, a Protestant. Since that time the church has been enlarged and other-
wise improved, and a substantial rectory has been erected at a cost of four
thousand dollars. The present priest in charge is Father J. L. Bolin. The
church property is now worth about ten thousand dollars ; the congregation
has a membership of two hundred souls, and the society is in a flourishing
condition.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Members of the Episcopal church have never been very numerous in
Lawrence county until in recent years, since which time a number have settled
in and near Bedford, being drawn hither largely by the stone industry, where
many English and Welsh people have found employment. St. John's mission,
at Bedford, now in charge of Rev. William Crossman Otte, has come to be a
flourishing parish. In many ways a remarkable growth has attended the
faithful ministrations of this most excellent rector, whose life is wrapped
up in his church work and extension policies. In the late sixties Bishop
Talbot visited Bedford, then a small town of little importance. During one of
the good Bishop's visits here he baptized two children and confirmed one
adult. In 1 87 1 Rev. John L. Gay visited the place with a view of renewing
the work and hoped to establish a parish. Services were occasionally held in
halls and in the Presbyterian church, but lack of encouragement and support
caused the work to fall again. In 1894 the Rev. Lawrence F. Cole, in the
course of his missionary wake, paid, as an archdeacon, frequent visits to
Bedford, holding services at private houses, and in February baptized two
children. There were not to exceed six communicants in the town at that
date. Later, the Rev. William F. Cook, archdeacon, resumed services in
private houses and in May, 1900. presented the Bishop with a class of two for
confirmation. This gentleman unfortunately had to leave the field, and noth-
ing more was done until the Rev. Gilbert M. Foxwell. rector of the Bloom-
144 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ington, Indiana, church, took up the work, devoting a part of his time here and
a part at Bloomington. After he was sent elsewhere the work lagged
again. The next move was when Archdeacon Walton took the field in charge
in about 1902, when he found only eight communicants, but, full of true zeal,
he steadily pressed his claims to organization. A lot was donated by two
ladies and, aided by a few worthy men, a building was projected, and the
corner stone of the present handsome chapel, St. James's church, was laid
November 12, 1905, by Bishop Francis. The building was completed in
June, 1906. In May, of that year, at the annual meeting of the diocesan
council, the Bedford mission was received and recognized as St. John's church.
In August, 1905, Rev. William Grossman Otte was wisely selected to
take charge of this mission. LJnder his excellent management and rare leader-
ship, appointed services have been maintained ever since. A Sunday school
was organized, and St. John's Guild is another active organization of
faithful women. There are also other church societies, all of which have had
their useful place in building up the church.
The church edifice, which is only one-third builded, but complete so far
as it has gone, will be cruciform in shape and one hundred and six feet long
when completed. Its width is forty-three feet in the transept. It is purely
Gothic in style of architecture, and built of the famous Bedford stone. The
membership in September, 1913, was one hundred and fifty communicants.
In addition to the handsome beginning toward a fine edifice, the society
has the supreme enjoyment of possessing one of the finest Bedford stone
rectory buildings in this section of the country. It was erected as a memorial
to Miss Jane Grossman Otte, deceased daughter of the pastor. Rev. William
Grossman Otte, who passed to the better world on August 18, 1908, dearly
beloved by all who knew of her womanly virtues and rare goodness in every
act of her life — charitable and faithful to all classes. With the coming and
going of the future decades, this handsome two-story residence, just to the
north of the church, facing M street, will stand as a lasting monument to one
whose pure life and noble deeds have indeed made the world better by her
having lived and labored for the uplift of her race. This building was built
by both church members of all denominations and the outsiders, all taking
pride in aiding toward its construction. It was dedicated on St. Peter's day,
1909.
CHAPTER XIII.
FRATERNAL AND SECRET SOCIETIES.
In almost every locality in the civilized world may Ije found one or more
subordinate lodges of the three greatest civic fraternities — Free and Accepted
Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. In
many communities all three are well represented, as is the case in Lawrence
county, Indiana. It will not be the object here to go into a detailed history
of such lodges in this connection, but to give a general description of where
and by whom these societies were established.
The first secret organization formed in Lawrence county was the Ma-
sonic lodge at Bedford, in June, 185 1, upon petition of R. R. Bryant, J. B.
Buskirk, M. \\'. Houston. John Daggy. W. ^l. Leach. A. X. Wilder, Benjamin
Newland, John P. Fisher, James W. Pro, James M. Warren, S. A. Raridon
and William Malott. The grand lodge of the state granted them a charter, to
work as a Free and Accepted Masonic lodge, known as Bedford Lodge No.
14, the first worshipful master being J. B. Buskirk.
Bedford Lodge No. 14 has a present membership of three hundred and
fifty. The officers are as follows: Louis Roberts, worshipful master; Wal-
ter A. Pitman, senior warden; John MacMillan, junior warden; Herman E.
McCormick, treasurer ; McHenry Owen, secretary ; Paul S. Higman, senior
deacon ; John Maddox, junior deacon ; Claude J. Black, stew^ard ; Robert G.
McWhirter, steward; John \^^ Findley. chaplain; William B. Reeve, tyler;
Allen Conner. L. Berry Emery and Sherman L. Reach, trustees. The lodge
meets on the second and fourth Saturdays at their hall at No. loii Fifteenth
street.
Hacker Chapter Xo. 34. Royal .\rch Masons, has a membership of two
hundred. The officers are: Charles H. Strupe. high priest; Walter J. Bailey,
king; Raymond H. Williams, scribe: Joseph R. Voris, treasurer; McHenry
Owen, secretary; Jasper H. Wyman, captain of the host; Frederick F. Storer,
principal sojourner; Fred X. Strout, Royal .\rch captain: Julian Calonge,
grand master of the third veil : John ^MacMillan. grand master of the second
veil ; Herman E. McCormick. grand master of the iirst veil : James B. Wilder,
guard.
Bedford Council Xo. 62, Roval and Select Masters, was organized under
(10) ' f\
146 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
dispensation of date of July 16, 1891, and chartered October 21, 1891. Prior
thereto a council of the same name, but No. 49, was granted a dispensation
April 12, 1876. and chartered October 18, 1879, but the charter was arrested
in October, 1888. The present council has about one hundred and forty-
members, and the officers are: L. Berry Emery, thrice illustrious master;
James W. Malott, deputy master ; Charles H. Strupe, principal conductor of
the work; Joseph R. Voris, treasurer; McHenry Owen, recorder; John E.
McCormick, captain of the guard ; Jasper H. Wyman, conductor of the coun-
cil ; Julian Calonge, steward ; James B. Wilder, sentinel.
Bedford Commandery No. 42, Knights Templar, was granted dispensa-
tion January 25, 1899, and was chartered as Bedford Commandery No. 42, on
April 20, 1899. The old Commander}^ No. 7, surrendered its charter in
1864. The officers at present are: Walter J. Bailey, eminent commander;
Fred N. Strout, generalissimo ; James W. Malott, captain general ; James A.
Zaring, senior warden; Ward H. McCormick, junior warden; Charles H.
Strupe, prelate ; Joseph R. Voris, treasurer; McHenry Owen, recorder; Wal-
ter H. Sherrill, standard bearer; Morris P. Keith, sword bearer; Walter A.
Pitman, warder; James B. Wilder, sentinel; William R. Grafton, Andrew
Duncan. John E. McCormick, guards ; Morton F. Brooks, Sherman L. Keach,
L. Berry Emery, trustees. The commandery at present has a membership of
one hundred and seventy-five.
In Bedford there are twenty-eight resident members of the Indianapolis
Consistory. Ancient Accepted .Scottish Rite, thirty-second degree, and there
are fifty-six resident members of Murat Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Another Masonic lodge at Bedford is Emmet Lodge No. 345, organized
under dispensation and received a charter May 29, 1867, it being a branch of
the old Bedford lodge. In 1884 it had a membership of sixty-eight. In 1888
this was consolidated with the parent lodge.
Mitchell Lodge No. 228, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered May
25. 1858. For many years before that John P. Burton was the only Free
Mason residing within Marion township, and later this lodge at Mitchell was
organized and has been sustained all these years. The first officers were:
William V. T. Murphy, worshipful master; William Muir, senior warden;
Edward Antonieski, junior Warden; J. T. Biggs, secretary. The present mem-
bership of this lodge is eighty-nine, and its elective officers are : J. D. Byrns,
worshipful master; Cealy Braman, senior warden; John L. Holmes, junior
warden: John A. Rodarmel. treasurer ; ^^^ M. James, secretary; Hugo Siefker,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 47
senior deacon; Howard Chitty, junior deacon; W. G. Oldham, senior steward;
John A. Gibbons, junior steward ; B. H. Sherwood, tyler.
Mitchell Chapter No. 23, Royal Arch Masons, was organized and
chartered October 20, 1870.
Mitchell Council No. 48. Royal and Select Masters, was chartered Octo-
ber, 1876.
Lawrenceport Lodge No. 543, Free and Accepted Masons, was
granted a charter August 31, 1876, with the following officers and charter
members: A. F. Berry, worshipful master; John Mitchell, senior warden;
and Harrison Field, junior warden. The other members were W. G. Todd,
G. W. Hamer, H. T. Hamer and John I^^swell. The lodge worked under dis-
pensation until May 22, 1877, when a charter was obtained. From its organi-
zation the lodge for many years was among the most prosperous in the county.
It owned a good building in 1883 and had money in its treasury.
At Huron, Masonic Lodge No. 381 was organized May 27. 1868. with
Thomas J. Cummings, worshipful master: Joseph Bosler, senior warden, and
Benjamin F. Prosser, junior warden. It was never very prosperous in earlier
days, and in 1884 had a membership of only seventeen.
At Spring\'ille, Lodge No. 177 was organized in 1855, by the following
charter members : Jewett L. Messick, W. H. Cornelius, Dean Barnes, E. M.
Stanwood, Thomas Graves. M. B. Garton, and a few others. They were com-
pelled to surrender their charter in 188 1.
At Heltonville, Leatherwood Lodge No. 116 was organized in the early
fifties. The first worshipful master was Major Bemen. The lodge went down
many years ago.
Cedar Lodge No. 161 was organized at Leesville. The first officers
were : Thomas J. Reed, worshipful master ; Robert Henderson, senior war-
den; Jonathan C. Todd, junior warden. In 1884 there was a membership of
about twenty.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
This order, one of the greatest on earth today, has a splendid following
in Lawrence countv. It has lodges of strength and usefulness at Rivervale,
Bedford. Oolitic, Heltonville. Fort Ritner. Williams. Springville and Mitchell.
Shawswick Lodge No. 177, at Bedford, was instituted by John B. An-
derson, grand master of Indiana, May 21, 1856. with the following charter
membership : Francis A. Sears, John Baker, W. C. R. Kemp, C. S. Kaufifman,
Joseph J. Dean and W. C. Hopkins. The first noble grand was F. A. Francis.
Up to 1884 there had been two hundred and twelve members uniting with
148 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the lodge and only ele\en had died, the membership then being eighty-five.
Its present membership is three hundred and eighty-five, and its present
elective ofiicers are: Walter Chilton, noble grand; Walter Thomas, vice
grand; Basil Miller, secretary; Fred I'itman, financial secretary; J. J. Johnson,
treasurer. The trustees are McHenry Owens. Read Gathers and H. L.
McKnight. The lotlge owns a hall, the ap])r()ximate \'alue of which is twenty-
two thousand dollars.
Bedford Encampment No. 80, of the Odd Fellows order, was instituted
in Bedford, July 24, 1866.
Mitchell Lodge No. 242, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was in-
stituted September, 1865, by G. \\'. Webb and Major David Kelley. Its pres-
ent membership is two hundred and seventy-two. The first noble grand was
William Wilson. The ])resent officers are : Jesse F. Ewing, noble grand ;
R. W. Smith, vice grand; G. W. Golman, treasurer; J. Lee Horton, recording
secretary ; Will D. Ewing, financial secretary. The order erected a hall for
lodge room purposes in 1895, at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars.
Lawrenceport Lodge No. 780, at Rivervale, this county, was instituted
November 14, 1901, and now has a membership of one hundred and two.
They own their own hall property, which is the second story of a business
house ; its cost was eight hundred dollars. The present officers of this lodge
are: James B. Ewing, nolile grand; \Villiam Leatherman, vice grand; Clyde
Ouillen, recording secretary ; John G. Kane, financial secretary ; Albion Bul-
litt, treasurer.
Springville Lodge No. 846 was instituted February i, 1907. The pres-
ent elective officers are: Charles Stevenson, noble grand; Elbert Adamson,
vice grand ; F. A. Brinegar. secretary. The hall was erected in July and
August, 1910, at a cost of one thousand two hundred dollars. The lodge has
a good-standing membership of twenty-four.
THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Palestine Lodge No. 137, Knights of Pythias, was organized in the city
of Bedford many years since. The officers serving during 1913 are as fol-
lows: H. G. Wilson, chancellor commander; J. G. ^NIcKinney, keeper of rec-
ords and seal ; F. W. Kennedy, master of finance ; J. V. Strout, master of ex-
chequer; T. G. Hassett, prelate; B. E. Hassett, master of the work; Leonard
Woody, master at arms; Owen Rout, D. K. Tlollowenn, \\'illiam Barr, Mit-
chell Guthrie and J. G. Hogan, trustees.
Oolitic Lodge No. ^2t,, at Oolitic, this county, was organized several
LAWRENCE AXn MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 1 49
years ago. Tt owned a good hall, which was Inirned July 8. 1913, at a loss
of four thousand dollars. The i)resent trustees are Ora George. Albert
Bryant and Jackson Temple. Its officers are : Elza George, chancellor com-
mander; O. L. Brown, vice chancellor: \Mlliam Bruce, master at arms: Will-
iam Hesler. prelate : Claude Phillips, inner guard : Howard Blazew. outer
guard: Charles Nichols, keeper of records and seal: William Alitchell. keeper
of exchequer : Charles Gilbert, collector.
The Knights of Pythias Lodge at ^Mitchell is Xo. 130. It was organized
in 1887. and has a present membership of one hundred and fifty. Its offlcers
are : ^^^alter Pierce, chancellor commander : Victor Prosser. vice commander ;
Warren Wright, keeper of records and seal : Lee Horton. master of finance ;
Walter Shanks, master of exche(|uer: A. O. True, prelate: James Coppey,
master at arms. This lodge owns its own castle, erected in 1905, at a cost of
seven thousand dollars.
There are lodges of this order at Leesville and Tunnelton, the facts about
which were not obtainable by the writer. The Tunnelton lodge has a member-
ship of sixty.
CHAPTER XIV.
RAILROADS, TRANSPORTATION, FERRIES, ETC.
Tlie New Albany & Salem railroad was the first steam highway to cross
Law rence county. The county did not furnish any aid in way of appropria-
tions, hut the road was materially helped by various individuals. It is said
that in each and every instance the right-of-way was given free of cost to the
company. Besides this, different citizens contributed in way of the stock
they subscribed for and the labor they did, in all amounting to more than one
hundred thousand dollars. Thus the pioneer railroad was constructed through
this county in 1851-3.
The next road projected was the Ohio & Mississippi railroad, that crossed
the southern portion of the county from 1855 to 1857. It was aided by in-
dividuals, same as the road above mentioned, and to about the same extent in
the total amount of aid.
In 1870 Marion township voted two hundred and sixty-four for and one
hundred and sixty-nine against a two per cent, tax to aid the Rockport &
.Northern Central railroad. This tax was levied, but never collected, as the
project was abandoned by the promoters. In 1872 the question again came
up, the township voting three hundred and fifty-nine for and two hundred
and thirty-nine against a two per cent, tax, which was levied, but, as in the
former case, the road was not built. Other tax aids were asked at different
dates, two of which were the matter of assisting the Indianapolis & Evansville
Mineral railroad and the Bedford. Brownstown & Madison railroad.
The Bedford & Bloomfield narrow gauge railroad was built under the
name of the Bedford. Springville. Owensburg & Bloomfield railroad. The
capital was fixed at one million dollars, divided into twenty thousand shares of
fifty dollars each. The line covered a distance of thirty-six miles. In Novem-
ber, 1874, Clark. Buel. Donahey & Company contracted to build this road and
secure the bonds for the individual stock subscriptions. This was to include
the right-of-way and they were to have a two per cent, tax from the territory
through which the line was to run. The matter of voting the tax in Shaws-
wick township was seen to in February. 1875. resulting in 402 in favor and
160 against the tax. Indian Creek voted 157 for and 75 against. The tax in
Shawswick township amounted to $42,000; in Perry it was $10,900; in Indian
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I5I
Creek, $13,000. In June, 1875, one per cent, of this tax was ordered levied.
In 1875 Conley, Mason & Company, residents of Greene county, bought the
raih'oad in its then unfinished condition, but soon thereafter went into bank-
ruptcy, and the IndianapoHs Rolling Mill Company, as assignees, took the road
in July, 1876, and completed it by October that year, but did not obtain com-
plete control of it until December, 1882. This company, in turn, in February,
1883, sold all the stocks, bonds and franchise to the Bedford & Bloomington
Railway Company, a local organization, which still owned the property in
1885. In February, 1884, the company bought the short line from Bloomfield
to Swartz City. Among the principal stockholders were A. C. Voris, W. P.
Malott, Frank Landers, W. W. Mason, Acquilla James and J. W. Kennedy.
THE PRESENT RAILROADS OF THE COUNTY.
Of the railroads in this county operating in 1913, it may be said that the
old New Albany & Salem line is now known as the "Monon," the legal title of
which is the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway Company.
The Bedford, Springville & Bloomfield railroad was first built in 1876,
having been completed on the 4th of July, that year. A great amount of
trouble was experienced in the construction of the line, and consequent finan-
cial difficulty compelled the abandoning of work. However, the citizens of
Bedford and the surrounding country came to the relief, and by subsidies and
subscriptions money was secured to complete the road. V. V. Williams acted
as receiver, and managed the collection of the funds. The line is now owned
by the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville road, or the Monon.
The Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern, running through Mitchell, was
completed through the county in 1S55-56. and has also a branch from Bedford
to Rivervale, where it forms junction with the main line.
The Terre Haute & Southeastern line is also an important line in Law-
rence county today, and was the result of many railroad schemes, but is now
permanent and successful.
THE BEDFORD BELT RAILROAD.
The following was written concerning this railroad in 1895, and will
ever remain as good history in Lawrence county railroading :
The most valuable property owned by the Bedford Quarries Company is
the Belt railroad. The railroad, which is twelve miles in length, with the
necessary accessories in way of yards, switching tracks, etc.. was finished in
the earlv nineties (about 1893), and while it affords the necessary shipping
152 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
facilities from the several quarries of the company, it is of still further im-
portance in the fact that it has become an indispensable feature of the entire
stone industry in and around Bedford. Before its completion each quarry
was dependent for the transportation of its product upon the one railroad
which ran near its property or that could be induced to lay a switch thereto
The consequence was, the quarry owners were practically at the mercy, so
far as shipping their product was concerned, upon some one railroad cor-
poration. We do not know that this was ever taken advantage of by the
railroad companies, but that it could have been done if desired is very evident.
When the subject was brought up of building a railroad owned and con-
trolled bv capital most interested in the stone industry, which road should
connect each quarry with e\er\- railroad system entering Bedford, and there-
fore afford to all an e(|ual opportunity of placing their product on the market,
it was the source of much encouragement to the quarrymen. Not only its con-
nection with all railroads was an accommodation, but the fact that the new
compan\- pro]iosed to make such arrangements as would give them a sufificient
number of cars at all times to supply all demands for transportation facilities,
was a source for congratulation, for it had been a source of great annoyance
and delay that the railroad companies were not prompt in furnishing cars and
manv a claim for damages because of delay in receiving stone was made by
contractors against c|uarr}' owners, who were unable to send forward stone be-
cause the railroads did not send cars when needed. This, the Belt line people
promised to remedy, and did.
But the construction of the road was beset by many difficulties owing to
the jieculiar "lay of the land" around and among the quarries. Hilly to a
degree a little short of mountainous, the problems of engineering presented
w ere numerous and varied. Trestles, bridges, rock cuts and grades, and very
many of them in most inaccessible places, were but a part of the difficulties to
be overcome, but brains, backed by capital, overcame the obstacles and the
road was completed in due time, but at a cost of over twenty-five thousand dol-
lars per mile, because of the unusual character of the country through which
it passed. .\ ride over this road convinces one that there is more picturesque
scenerv crowded into that twelve miles than be found in an equal distance of
anv other road. But it is for utility that this road was constructed and the
many train loads of stone constantly passing back and forth over the line
testifies that it is meeting the end for which it was built.
The Bedford Belt railway is fully equipped for doing the business de-
manded of it. The company owns three large Mogul engines for the heavy
hauling over the line and one of lighter build wdiich is used for shipping in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 53
the yards and for a passenger service that is operated between the stations at
Bedford and Limestone and from quarry to quarry. Altogether, the Bedford
Quarries Company has in the Bedford Belt railway a valuable piece of prop-
erty, valuable to themselves and valuable also to every person identified with
the quarrying interests in and around Bedford.
CHAPTER XV.
MILITARY HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
In the days of the early settlement of Lawrence county there existed a
military organization of similar character to that of the county of Monroe.
This somewhat crude, but effective, system. was based on the militia. The
organization of the county militia was impelled by government orders, and
each county in the state was required to consolidate bodies of men into com-
panies, and drill them in the art of military tactics at certain stated periods.
The Indian tribes were by no means pacified at this time, and they resented
every inroad the white men made into their hunting grounds. This charac-
teristic sullen discontent was apt to break into a bloody onslaught on the
whites at any time, and consequently the militia was kept in formation to
combat these attacks should they occur. The hostile tribes in the Hoosier
state were not troublesome very long, however, and the need of a militia to
cope with them ceased. Nevertheless, the people of Lawrence county took a
great pride in maintaining these organizations, but the interest was not suffi-
cient to justify the expenditure of much money on equipment. Each man
who desired to be a soldier furnished his own arms, and if they did not have a
gun, they brought broom handles, corn stalks, hoes, sticks, or anything with
which they could employ in going through the manual of arms. The Law-
rence county citizens dubbed the companies the "cornstalk militia," which
appellation was the beginning of the end. As occurred in Monroe county, the
militia soon degenerated into an absurd farrago, and instead of orderly drills
and serious training, the meeting days became festivities, featured by all sorts
of sports, such as horse racing, gambling, pugilistic encounters, and contests
of markmanship. There were many early settlers prior to 1815 who joined
companies of rangers, raised in neighboring portions of the county; these
rangers were mounted and formed a very efficient body. These veterans of
the war of 1812 were occasionally called out for the pursuit of troublesome
Indians, but otherwise saw no active service.
The year 1846 marked the next step of any consequence in the military
affairs of the county. Under act of Congress, approved May 13, 1846, the
President of the United States, James Knox Polk, called for volunteers to go
to Mexico, and the quota for Indiana was fixed at three regiments. Imme-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I55
diately following this call several prominent citizens of county, including Henry
Davis, G. G. Dunn, L. 0. Hoggatt, Cyrus Dunham, George Carr, John C.
Gavins, E. W. Rice and James Carothers, began an effort to raise a company
at Leesville, war meetings being held in that town and at Bedford, Spring-
ville and in other localities. The work progressed rapidly and within a week
a full company was raised and their service offered to the governor of the
state. The personnel and organization of the company were very satisfactory,
and they were accepted and ordered to report at New Albany and be assigned
to the Second Regiment. Henry Davis was chosen captain of the company,
L. O. Hoggatt. first lieutenant, Josiah S. Foster, second lieutenant, and Ed-
mund W. Rice, third lieutenant. The old court house was used for a time as a
barracks, while the formation of the organization was completed.
On June 19, 1846, the company was drawn up on the public square to say
farewell to those left at home, and preparatory to their departure for New
Albany to join their regiment. The time was in the early morning, to avoid,
as history records, one of the hottest days of the summer. George G. Dunn
spoke the farewell for the townspeople, and at the conclusion of his address
each man in the company was presented with a Testament. The sorrow of the
leave-takings was somewhat softened by the cheers and strains of martial music
which were accorded the boys. Upon their arrival at New Albany the men
were assigned to the Second Regiment as Company F, and later became
known as the 'T.awrence Grays," and bore a reputation for bravery and forti-
tude unsurpassed in the American army.
In July. 1846. the Second Regiment was taken to the city of New
Orleans, and thence across the gulf of Mexico to the mouth of the Rio Grande
river. In this position the regiment remained until February, 1847, '" the
meantime losing several men by death, and growing more impatient every
day for a movement against the "greasers." On the above date, they were
assigned to a division of five thousand men under the command of Gen.
Zachary Taylor, and placed in the Buena Vista pass to await the advance of
the Mexican army of twenty thousand men under Santa Anna. Buena Vista
means "beautiful view." and indeed the spot justified the description. The
pass was narrow and ridged by numerous ravines across the sides, and run-
ning across it was a broad plateau about two hundred feet above the level.
General Taylor threw his line of battle across this plateau, and the Second
Regiment was designated to the extreme left of the line, near the side of the
mountain. The Mexicans soon appeared at the head of the pass in solid
column, and an imposing sight it was. Their flags and pennants waved, their
carbines and accoutrements glittered in the bright sun, and their gaudy uni-
156 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
forms made bright splotclies of color against the horizon. They endeavored to
carry the pass by soHd formation at first, but the Washington Battery, on an
elevation to the right, threw canister and shrapnel into the thickly crowded
ranks so rapidly that they were compelled to fall back in confusion, strewing
the ground with their dead. Their next move was to flank the American forces
on the left, and in this maneuver they were successful. The Indiana and Ken-
tucky regiments received the weight of hundreds of mounted and foot soldiers,
and the Mexican lancers, on ponies, stormed the rear, capturing several pieces
of ordnance of Bragg's battery. The Second Regiment fired twenty-one rounds.
and then the bugle sounded the retreat. Unfortunately, the correct tactics of
retreat hafl lieen omitted from their training, and when they made the effort
their flight Ijccame a rout, and they were literally crowded down off the
plateau. In the fi)rk made l)y tlie convergence of two ravines, the Americans
halted, and, once at bay, poured a terrific storm of lead into the oncoming
Mexicans, and stopped them completely. This encouraged the Indiana and
Kentuck\- men, and they reformed their battle line. Until night the Ameri-
cans resisted every charge oi the Mexican infantry and cavalry, and stub-
bornly contested every minute of the time. When night came the Mexicans
drew off. and thus the .\mericans won a glorious victory from defeat. This
was practicalh- all of tlie fighting for the Second Regiment, and, after serving
in various way. part of the time in doing guard duty, they were ordered home,
their year of enlistment having expired.
The people of Lawrence county were greatly excited when the news
came of the battle of Buena Vista, but were frightened by the first report that
the Lawrence county boys had been among those who fled before the Mexi-
cans. All refused to blame the fact to cowardice, and waited anxiously for
further details of the battle. These were brought by W. A. Gorman, of
Bloomington, Monroe county, who had been a member of the regiment, but
who came home in advance of the others. He tarried at Bedford and delivered
a public speech, wherein he detailed the events of Buena Vista; how the boys,
having used their ammuniition, were ordered three times by their command-
ers to retreat. The people rested easier when they learned that their men
were not cowards.
On the 30th of June, 1847, the Bedford troops returned home. The
citizens, with the Bedford band, met them at White river, and escorted them
into town. On account of the brilliant \^ictory a large barbecue was held on
July 6th in Foote's woods, north of town, and it was estimated that fully six
thousand people were present. The procession formed in town and marched
to the grounds, where a large ox was roasted in a pit. Dr. Benedict delivered
I.AWREXrK AND MONROE COUXTIES, IXDIAXA. 1 57
the principal address of welcome, and Captain Davis and Lieutenants Hog-
gatt and Lewis made the responses. The soldiers from Leesville were also
given a barbecue similar to that of Bedford.
The brave fellows who fought for the States during the war w ith Mexico
are ofttimes forgotten in the blaze of glory which surrounds the later heroes
in the war for the L'nion. This should not be true. Their patriotism was
just as high, their courage as great, and their willingness to sacrifice life and
home was just as sincere. The graves of the Civil war men far outnumber
those of the Mexican, but the honors to be accorded the honored dead should
be distributed equally among the silent mounds, whether of '46 or '61.
The muster roll of Company F included the officers already mentioned,
and the following: Isaac Carothers, Calvin R. Fox, \\'illiam F. Dodds, and
Virgil Vestal, sergeants ; John Bishop, Ambrose B. Carlton. Eli H. Alexander
and Nathaniel B. Stearns, corporals ; Levi Bailey, Dillard Bell, Alexander
Caldwell, John R. Carmon, Mathias Clampitt, William Clampitt, John C.
Crawford, Lewis Crawford, Jabez Cox, Housan Clifton, William Day, J. F.
Deckert, William Dougherty, L. C Fell, John Foote, James Franklin, Caleb
Fry, Callahan Fisher, Thomas (ioens, Joseph Gough, Alexander Hawkins,
William Hawkins, Davis Hart, John Helton, David P. Houston, Stephen
Humphreys. Philip Huff, Daniel Jackson, James Kilgore, Benjamin McFar-
land, George Miner, E. W. Moberly. James Owen, Daniel A. Peck. Chalfant
Purcell, W. H. Pender, John W. Pool, Finley Reynolds, Charles Ross, Abra-
ham K. Smith, Austin G. Shear, John Thomas, John Tressler, Reuben Pitcher,
L N. Templeton, Oscar Foote. William Purcell, John McCoy, George Tyler,
Robert Brown, William McPike, Elijah C. Litton, Davis Harrison, Josephus
Talbot, John ^^'oody, James H. Boyd, Charles Myers, Joseph Dayton, Henry
N. Brown, and the two musicians. James J. Brown and James Duncan.
Two boys of the Winegar family were called by death by disease, and
Harrison Wilson, X. W. Trwin and Harvey Mathis were killed at Buena
Vista, on Februarv 22, 1847. The following men were discharged during
their period of service on account of disability : Oscar Foote, John McCoy,
William Purcell, George Tyler, H. N. Brown, John \\'oody, Joseph Dayton,
Davis Harrison. J. H. Boyd. Robert Brown. William ^IcPike. Josephus Tal-
bot. E. C. Lytton. Charles Myers and Oscar Templeton.
Robert Mitchell was a quartermaster of the Second Regiment, and he
died at Matamoras, Mexico. The Fourth Indiana Regiment had in its com-
plement William H. Bivens and Benjamin F. Brinegar, and they were a part
of the company under command of Jesse Alexander. Fbenezer S. Thompson,
Oscar Foote. James C. Carlton. \\'illiam Purcell. Thomas Purcell and James
158 LAWRKNCK AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Purcell were members of Company F, Fifth Regiment, under Capt. John S.
McDougall ; Jerry E. Dean, afterwards captain in Company F, Fifteenth In-
diana, Absalom Veach, James Hughes, Ralph G. Norvell, Samuel Reynolds,
John Wallace. Phelps Reed, Charles Burkley, Seymour Cobb and James Rupert-
were members of Company I, Sixteenth United States Regulars, under Capt.
Thomas F. Bethel. McHenry Dozier. former deputy clerk under Robert Mit-
chell, joined the company of Captain Rousseau at Bloomfield, and was killed at
the battle of Buena Vista. His death is described as brutal murder by
Mexican lancers, while he was lying, wounded, in an ambulance. Samuel
Mitchell and Rice M. Brown were both in the service, the latter in the
capacity of officers' cook, being unfit for active service on account of a crippled
leg.
THE UTAH WAR.
After the Mexican war the next military activity was in 1858. when
Brigham Young and his Mormons were creating disturbance in the state of
Utah. Albert Sydney Johnston, a regular armv officer, had received orders
from tlie President to start for the scene and subdue the bigamists. On
March 30. 1858. the young men of Bedford met at the court house, to make
preparations for the raising of a company of volunteers for the so-called
"Utah war." Their military aspirations were short-lived, however, for no
sooner had they organized a company and elected officers than the following
notice appeared in the Laivrena' Democrat: /'Attention Company! The
company of officers latel\- organized in this place for the Utah war are hereby
notified, that they need not meet again until President Buchanan is heard
from ; there is some doul)t yet whether he needs them. They are still ex-
pected, however, to keep on in their drilling exercises on stove boxes and
grindstones." This bit of sarcasm ended the affair in Lawrence county.
THE civil. WAR.
In the early sixties the question of politics was largely based upon the
paramount topic of states' rights. The secession of South Carolina from the
Union had brought matters to a near issue, and the controversy in Lawrence
county was as hot as any place in the Hoosier state. The truth of the matter
was that many of the thinking class of people were in doubt as to which side
of the question they really did favor. Many adopted the view that the
confederation of states was at the beginning a voluntary act on the part of
each individual state, and that anv or all of them had the right to withdraw
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 59
from this union if thereby she saw the opportunity to better herself. Not-
withstanding, these same people hated to see the prosperous Union broken,
and they questioned the constitutional legality of the course. Those opposed
to coercive measures by the North, saw in that course the destruction of the
institution which had made the South the rich country it was at the time,
namely, slavery. Without that class of people, they argued, the rich sugar,
rice, cotton and tobacco plantations would be lost to the country. Then, on the
other hand, the people in favor of coercion declared that the existence of the
Union was of greater advantage to the country than a few plantations. As in
Monroe county, these two factions were ever at sword's points, and the dis-
cussion was not always confined to words. The Southern families were well
represented in Lawrence county, as in the adjacent counties, and consequently
they hesitated on the question of combative measures. President Buchanan's
dilatory tactics were not popular with the majority of Lawrence people, and
his refusal to quell the secession by force on the grounds of violating the
Constitution was not favored very strongly by the Union adherents. When
Abraham Lincoln took the presidential chair, there was an added effort to
settle the state difficulty by peaceful methods, and there was a subsequent
feeling of despair in the hearts of those who wanted war. The outlook was
indeed forbidding and doubtful, when instantly the solution arrived. Sumter
was bombarded and had surrendered to the Confederate forces. The call to
arms followed immediately from Washington.
Bedford received the news of the fall of Fort Sumter on Monday morn-
ing, April 15, 1861. and great excitement and anxiety were caused in the
town. The people of the county gathered in the streets of Bedford and
awaited breathlessly for further details. The ordinary business of the day
was forgotten in the general turmoil, and the preparations begun for the rais-
ing of troops to fill the quota of the county. George J. Brown, Robert Mc-
Afee and Samuel W. Short took the initiative in the soliciting of names pre-
paratory to enlistment, and in a verv few hours a full company was on hand.
The town of Mitchell was also verv successful in these first enlistments.
The first call for men from Lincoln, after the fall of Sumter, was for
seventy-five thousand men. Nearly two hundred left Lawrence county shortly
afterward, on April 22d, most of them going to the city of Indianapolis, in
hopes of getting in the three-months service. In this, however, they were
disappointed, as the first enlistments had been so heavy that the quota was
more than filled. They remained in the capital city, thinking to get into the
one-year service, and in this they would have been successful had it not been
for the calls in July and .August for three-year men, the total asked for being
l6o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
close to five hundred thousand. These men, now reaching a total of about
three hundred, accordingly joined this longer service. The Fifteenth Regi-
ment received almost a full company from this number. About twenty-five
men from Lawrence county were in the regiment, and they were assigned
the letter F, with the following officers : Frank White, Greencastle, captain,
and afterward succeeded by Jeremiah E. Dean. Dean was, at the beginning,
first lieutenant, but was succeeded by Alfred F. Berry, once second lieutenant.
Lycurgus Irwin became second lieutenant. The Fifteenth Regiment assembled
at Lafayette for the one-year state service, but was reorganized and mustered
into the three-year service on the 14th of June, t86i, with George D. Wagner
as the colonel.
Perhaps no regiment in the Civil war saw harder service or suffered
more loss than the gallant Fifteenth. From beginning to end they were in the
maelstrom of warfare, and the men who fell before the rebel bullets were many
and constituted the flower of the regiment. On July i, 1861, the regiment
entrained at Indianapolis, and were transported to western Virginia. On the
Tith, while the battle of Rich Mountain was in progress, the regiment reached
the spot, but were too late to participate, except in the pursuit and capture of
prisoners. LTntil November 19th the regiment occupied Elk Water valley,
and engaged in the meantime in the battle of Greenbrier, which resulted in the
repulse of Lee. In the latter part of November tlie regiment joined the divi-
sion commanded by Buell at Louisville, Kentucky. As Buell's campaign was a
strenuous one, including the sanguinary struggle at Shiloh, the siege of
Corinth and the battle at Perrysville, the boys underwent a rigorous life dur-
ing those days; the regiment was also among the troops which pursued the
army under Bragg to Cumberland Gap. In the month of November. 1862,
it was at Nashville, where Gustavus A. Wood became colonel. It engaged at
Stone River on December 31, 1861, and January i and 2, 1863. and out of the
four hundred and forty men engaged, the loss by death and disability by
wounds was one hundred and ninety-seven. Until June 24th the regiment
quartered around Murfreesboro, participating in several small expeditions.
The next step of any importance was in the movement on Tullahoma, then en-
campment at Pelham, Tennessee, and on the 17th of August began the ad-
vance toward Chattanooga. The routine here was monotonous, and the boys
failed to get a taste of battle until the bloody combat at Mission Ridge, when
the regiment suffered frightfully, losing by death and wounds two hundred
and two men out of the three hundred and thirty-four engaged. The next
day the regiment marched to the relief of General Burnside at Knoxville, and
thev made the remarkable record of covering the one hundred miles in six
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. l6l
days, on short rations and lack of other necessities. They stayed in Knox-
ville until February, 1864, then went to Chattanooga, where part of the men
veteranized. On June i6th they departed for IndianapoHs to be mustered out.
The veterans and a company of recruits remained, and were assigned to the
Seventeenth Regiment, serving until being mustered out on August 8, 1865.
Company B, of the Eighteenth Regiment, was made up mostly of men
from Lawrence county, and was commanded by Capts. Samuel W. Short,
William S. Cook, D. R. Bowden and Francis M. Dugger ; First Lieuts. Will-
iam S. Cook, D. R. Bowden, Napoleon H. Daniels and Robert Hardwick;
Second Lieuts. Parker Pearson, N. H. Daniels. Coleman Duncan and William
Mitchell. The regiment was mustered in on August i6th, along with several
other companies, under Col. Thomas Pattison. N. H. Daniels was made a
major and Doil R. Bowden a colonel. The Eighteenth was also once in com-
mand of Henry P. Washburn. The regiment left for St. Louis immediately
after being mustered in. During the war which followed the gallant Eigh-
teenth ever distinguished itself, participating in the engagements at Elkhorn
Tavern, Cotton Plant, Port Gibson, Champion's Hill. Black River Bridge,
Vicksburg, Fort Esperanza, Pea Ridge, Opequon, Fisher's Hill and Cedar
Creek. In the latter engagement the regiment lost heavily. Tn the other
battles the regiment was not fortunate by any means. Their quota of dead
and wounded always mounted high, a stern testimony to their courage and
undaunted devotion. In the spring of 1863 the regiment was joined with
Grant's army, and in the next year was with Butler's division, and then that
of Phil Sheridan. On August 28, 1865, the regiment was mustered from the
service at Indianapolis.
In the month of July about twenty-fix e men from Bedford and the west-
ern portion of the county entered Company F, of the Twenty-first Regiment,
four or five men joining the regimental band. Henry F. McMillan, of Bed-
ford, became adjutant in August of 1862, and continued as such under the
reorganization of the Heavy Artillery. James W. McMillan, also of Bedford,
was commissioned colonel of the regiment in July, 1861, and was promoted
to the rank of brigadier-general in November, 1862, and breveted major-
general on March 5, 1865. Benjamin Newland was appointed to the office
of surgeon of the Twenty-second on August 12, 1861. but resigned on Novem-
ber 4, 1862.
The Twenty-first was mustered in on July 24. 1861, and was immediately
ordered east. After a period of service there, the regiment was taken to the
vicinity of New Orleans, and there underwent the hardest campaigning ex-
perienced bv them during the war. In the battles of Baton Rouge, Port Hud-
(II)
1 62 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
son and Sabine Pass the men won renown for their colors and always were in
the thick of the fight wherever it waged. During the New Orleans campaign
with Butler, part of the men were transferred to gunboats and accompanied
Weitzel's advance up the Bayou Teche, fighting at Cornet's Bridge, and also
destroying the "Gotten." At Baton Rouge the regiment sustained a loss of a
hundred and twenty-six men, including Adjutant Latham and Lieutenants
Seeley, Grimstead and Bryant. Most of Gompany F, in which Bedford was
represented, were captured during the fighting around Brashear Gity. In
1863 and 1864 large numbers of the men re-enlisted, and were re-mustered
at New Orleans.
Gompany A, Twenty-fourth Regiment, was the third raised for the war,
and the period of enlistment covered June and July, 1861. Hugh Erwin,
George Sheeks and Gharles H. Dunihue were captains during the period of
service; George Sheeks and G. H. Dunihue, first lieutenants; Hiram F. Brax-
ton, Jesse L. Gain and Richard F. Gleeland, second lieutenants. By regimental
reorganization, John L. Stewart, of Mitchell, became second lieutenant of
Gompany I; John S. Bailey, of Bedford, second lieutenant of Gompany G;
David Kelley, of Mitchell, major, and Francis A. Sears, of Bedford, lieuten-
ant-colonel. Alvin P. Hovey, afterward brigadier-general, and Governor of
Indiana, and William T. Spicely were colonels of the Twenty-fourth Regi-
ment. The regiment was mustered in at Vincennes on July 31, 1861, and im-
mediately marched to St. Louis, joining Fremont's army, which was in Mis-
souri at the time. The regiment engaged in the battle of Shiloh, and lost
many men. among them Major Gerber. The companies of the Twenty-
fourth also participated, in the siege of Gorinth. In the campaign against the
city of Vicksburg, the regiment was a part of Grant's army. With this
division they also engaged at Ghampion's Hill and Port Gibson. Their ulti-
mate destination was Louisiana and New Orleans. On December 10, 1864,
the Sixty-seventh Regiment consolidated with the Twenty-fourth, the new
organization retaining the latter name. In July, 1865, the regiment was re-
organized as a battalion of five companies, and was mustered out on July 19,
1865. The regiment had also been in the movement against Mobile in April
of that year.
William Guthrie, of Tunnelton. second lieutenant in Gompany G, Twenty-
fifth, was commissioned on April 10. 1862. and died on April 28, 1862, in the
hospital at Mound Gity. Illinois.
In the month of August. 1861. there was a fourth company organized in
Lawrence county and sent into the field. At Indianapolis the company was
joined to the Twenty-seventh Regiment, which organization was mustered
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. l6^
into the three-year service on September 12th, under Col. Silas Colgrove. The
company was given the letter D, and during the progress of the war had the
following officers: Captains, John A. Cassady. Theodore E. Buehler and
Thomas J. Box; first lieutenants, James M. Kern, Thomas Peters, T. J. Box
and George H. Stephenson ; second lieutenants, Meredith W. Leach, Daniel R.
Conrad, T. J. Box and Joseph Balsley. In 1863 Balsley became captain of
Company H. and was mustered out as such on November 4, 1864.
The Twenty-seventh Regiment joined Banks' Army of the Shenandoah,
after a short time spent at Washington City. The winter was passed at Camp
Halleck, near Frederick City, Maryland, and in the month of March, 1862,
the troops crossed the Potomac river into the Shenandoah valley. They
marched into the city of Winchester on the 9th of March, and after the en-
gagement of Winchester Heights, joined in the pursuit of Stonewall Jack-
son's army. May 23d the regiment fought at Front Royal, and was in the
historic retreat the next day along the Strasburg road. That night they
reached Winchester, and at the break of dawn the next day engaged hotly
with the Confederates. The brigade of which the Twenty-seventh was a
part stood off twenty-eight rebel regiments for a period of three and one-
half hours, repulsing every onslaught made upon them. The Southerners
finally massed and attempted to flank the brigade and in this maneuver were
successful. The brigade gallantly held together, and for a time held the rebel
host on even terms, but sheer force of numbers prevailed and they fell back in
order to Winchester, where the fighting continued unabated in the streets.
On May 26th the regiment crossed the Potomac.
Afterward the Twenty-seventh was transported into Virginia, and fought
at Cedar Mountain : then moved north of the Rappahannock, and took promi-
nent part in the Maryland campaign. The ranks were depleted by the clash
at Antietam on the 17th of September, and its regiment was placed on picket
duty along the banks of the Potomac until the vacancies had been supplied
with new men. The winter months were spent near Stafford Court House.
In May, 1863, the regiment was at the front at Chancellorsville and suffered
great losses. Close on the heels of Robert E. Lee the regiment proceeded
northward, and during the first three days of July, 1863, engaged on the
blood-red field at Gettysburg, and was one of the regiments which helped re-
pulse the famous Pickett charge of July 3d. Heavy losses occurred on this
field, but the gallant Twenty-seventh won her spurs and bore the reputation
afterward of the utmost courage in the time of danger. After following the
Army of Northern Virginia to the Potomac, the regiment rested until Sep-
tember, and then was transferred to the West, along with the Twelfth Corps.
164 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
During the fall and winter following, the regiment remained at Tullahoma,
and early in 1864 a portion veteranized and returned home on a furlough.
On May 15, 1864, the regiment won conspicuous renown by engaging with
two Alabama regiments on the field of Resaca, Georgia, and defeating them,
killing and wounding a large number and capturing some one hundred prison-
ers, besides the enemy's battle flag. The Twenty-seventh lost sixty-eight
killed and wounded. They moved to the city of Atlanta and fought in all of
the battles of the Atlanta compaign. Here the non-veterans were mustered
from the service and the veterans and recruits were transferred to the Seven-
tieth Regiment, which organization served well in the Carolina campaign, later
becoming a part of the Thirty-third Regiment. On July 21, 1865, the regi-
ment was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky.
Spring-\'ille. this county, placed a company in the field in September, 1861.
The organization bore the name of Company F, and was assigned to the Forty-
third Regiment. They were mustered into the three-year service on Septem-
ber 27th, under the command of Col. George K. Steele. The company from
Springville had as officers during the war the following: Alexander H.
Gainey, Joseph Lane, and James B. Dyer, captains ; Joseph Lane, John P. Pot-
ter, John Bugher, James B. Dyer, John East and Miles F. Richeson, first lieu-
tenants; Ira H. Rainwater. John Bugher, John R. Hall. James B. Dyer,
Charles W. Holland, second lieutenants. They assembled at Terre Haute, and
shortly after being mustered in moved to Spottsville, Kentucky, and from
there to Calhoun. In February, 1862, the regiment went to Missouri, where it
participated in the seige of Island No. 10 and New Madrid. The Forty-third
was a unit in the division which moved on P'ort Pillow, the scene of one of
the crudest and barbaric massacres of the war, and was one of the leaders
when Memphis was entered, remaining in the latter city for about two months.
In July, 1862, the Forty-third traveled up White river, to Helena, and
on Independence day, 1863, won a hotly contested battle against a force
triple their number, in support of a battery, holding off three successive attacks
and capturing the entire rebel regiment. The regiment moved against Little
Rock and, as a part of Steele's expedition, engaged at Elkin's Fork, Jenkin's
Ferris Camden and Marks Mills. On April 30th, at Marks Mills, while on
guard over four hundred supply wagons, the regiment was attacked by a large
force under General Marmaduke, and in the fight which resulted lost nearly
two hundred men killed, wounded and missing. Veterans numbering one
hundred and four were captured (the regiment had veteranized in January,
1964). Soon after this disaster the Forty-third returned home on a furlough,
but en route went to Frankfort to aid in repelling Morgan's cavalry, also to
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 165
engage briefly with Jesse's guerillas near Eminence. The next period of serv-
ice for the regiment was at Indianapolis, on guard duty over Confederate
prisoners. The final muster out occurred on June 14, 1865. A dozen or so of
the Forty-third's men met their death in the miasmic filthv horror of Southern
prisons.
Two aijd one half companies were raised for the Fiftieth Regiment in
October, i86i,' which regiment was organized at Seymour, under the command
of Cyrus L. Dunham. Company G was made up entirely of men from Law-
rence county, and was officered during the war by the following: Isaac
Carothers, captain ; Hiram Malott, Austin G. Spear and William C. Newkirk,
first lieutenants : Caswell R. Burton, A. G. Shear, W. C. Newkirk and John
F. Flinn, second lieutenants. Compan}- I was also made up mostly of Law-
rence county boys, and their officers were : Abraham H. Miller, captain ; Jacob
McHenr}' and Daniel A. Baker, first lieutenants; Daniel J. Dean, Thomas J.
Falkenburg and Aha \\'^est, second lieutenants. Company D, of the Residu-
ary Battalion, was also largely from this count)-. William C. Newkirk was
captain ; S. A. Flarrah, J. F. Leonard, James H. Watts, W. C. Newkirk and
John T. Flinn were first lieutenants; Albert Adams, John Judy, John F.
Leonard, John T. Flinn and James Gray, second lieutenants. Henry C.
Huston, of Bedford, was a first lieutenant in Company A.
In January, 1862, twenty-five men entered Company E, of the Fifty-
second Regiment, and about ten in Company K, of the same regiment. John
^^^ ^NlcCowlck was the captain of Company E. A great deal of Company D,
after the reorganization, was from the county of Lawrence, and their officers
were : John T. Flinn, captain ; John T. Flinn and James Gray, first lieutenants ;
Tames Grav and .Vlexander jMarley, second lieutenants. All of the men from
Lawrence countv were m.ustered into the service on February i, 1862. The
regiment participated in the Civil war to a large extent, and performed meri-
torious service during all the years of its service. In these movements the
Fiftv-second was engaged at the siege of Fort Donelson. siege of Corinth,
skirmish at Durhamville, Tennessee, other skirmishes with guerillas, raid on
Meriden, battles of Jackson. Fort DeRussey, Pleasant Hill. Moore's Planta-
tion. Yellow Bayou, Lake Chicot. Tupelo, Hurricane Creek. Franklin. jNIis-
souri, Nashville, Tennessee, pursuit of Hood, Spanish Fort, Blakely. and in
addition many other less important expeditions. The regiment was mustered
out of the service on September 10, 1865. In the month of August. 1862,
fifteen men entered Company F, of the Sixty-fifth Regiment, and an added ten
recruits joined in 1863. James Marley, of Lawrence county, was a second
lieutenant, and later a first lieutenant.
l66 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Company A, of the Sixty-seventh Regiment, had a great many Law-
rence county men in its ranks. They were mustered into the service on Aug-
ust 19, 1862, and during the subsequent term of enlistment had the following
officers : Francis A. Sears, George W. Rahm and Jacob Smith, captains ; G.
W. Rahm, Leander P. Leonard, David T. Mitchell, Jacob Smith, Thomas
Hendricks and John S. Bailey, first lieutenants; L. P. Leonard, David T.
Mitchell and Jacob Smith, second lieutenants. Company H also was from
Lawrence county, and its officers were: David Kelly, captain; Allen C. Bur-
ton, Benjamin N. Hostetler and John T. Stewart, first lieutenants; Wiley G.
Burton and Benjamin Hostetler, second lieutenants.
The Sixty-seventh was mustered in at Madison, under Col. Frank Emer-
son, and then moved to Louisville, thence to Munfordville, and in this latter
place, on the 14th of September, was engaged with Bragg's army, and after
a losing fight and a loss of forty-three men killed and wounded, was sur-
rendered to the enemy. The regiment was paroled, and forced to remain at
home until the month of December, when it was exchanged. Immediately
the men were re-equipped and dispatched to Memphis. Their first engage-
ment after exchange occurred in the assault on Arkansas Post, where they
suffered severely in killed and wounded. The regiment later moved to Young's
Point, and then joined the Vicksburg campaign. The men of the Sixty-
seventh fought valiantl}' at Port Gibson, Champion's Hill, Black River Bridge,
and at the siege and capture of Vicksburg. In succession the troops were ad-
vanced against Jackson's companies, then to New Orleans, and then fought at
Grand Coteau, Louisiana, where two hundred of the men were captured. In
January, 1864, the regiment went to Texas, and joined the Red River expe-
dition, fighting at Sabine- Cross Roads, Cane River and Alexandria, and losing
heavily. After this southern campaign the men were mo\'ed against Forts
Gaines and Morgan, and were thus engaged for twenty days. Then, and until
December, 1864, the regiment was located at Morganza, Louisiana, in the
meantime taking part in several small expeditions. The Sixty-seventh was
next consolidated with the Twenty-fourth Regiment, under the latter name,
and moved in the campaign against Mobile, and then was taken to Galveston,
Texas. In this place the men were mustered out of the service on July 19,
1865, the recruits continuing, however, in active service. The record of this
regiment is remarkable in several ways. Not only did they suffer great losses
in battles, Imt in the number of battles engaged, eighteen in all, they had the
uniform misfortune to receive more than their share of rebel Inillets. They
were under fire a total of one hundred and forty seven days, and traveled a
distance of seventeen thousand miles.
L.\WRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 167
Company G, Fourth Cavalry (Seventy-se\'enth Regiment), was organ-
ized in July, 1862, and mustered in on August 7, 1862. The roH of officers
during the war was as follows : Jesse Keithley and Isaac Newkirk, captains ;
Isaac Xewkirk. Elihu C. Newland and Thomas C. Williams, first lieutenants;
E. C. Newland, T. C. Williams and James Kern, second lieutenants. Under
Col. Isaac P. Gray the regiment was organized at Indianapolis, and when the
time came to enter the field the regiment was divided and distributed among
various places in Kentucky. One of the battalions, under command of Major
Platter, participated in light skirmishes at Madisonville on August 26th, and
at Mount Washington on October ist, sufifering slight casualties. On the 5th
of October this division again fought at Madisonville. and lost several men.
The other battalion, under Colonel Gray, was first taken to Louisville, thence
to Madison, then to Vevay, then to several Kentucky counties, to Frankfort
on October 24, from there to Gallatin, then up the Green river in pursuit of
John Morgan. On Christmas day they engaged the rebel Morgan near Mun-
fordville, and defeated him with severe loss. In the early part of 1863 the
regiment moved to Murfreesboro, and on the loth of March were in battle
at Rutherford Creek. Under command of Shuler. they skirmished near
Murfreesboro, on March 28th.
It was not long before the two battalions of the Fourth Cavalry were
united, and the regiment as a whole joined the army under Rosecrans. In
this army they participated in the battle of Chickamauga, on September 19
and 20, 1863, and on the 23d. The battle of Chickamauga, not excepting
Gettysburg, was the largest in the Civil war. and the gallant Fourth received
their baptism of fire along with hundreds of other troops, and were forced to
withdraw from the fated field. Had the Confederates followed up their ad-
vantage on this historic field, the Civil war would have been historically differ-
ent. But, as it was, the Army of the Cumberland recuperated, and lived to
see the destruction of the rebel host. On the first of November the regiment
fought at Fayetteville. During the winter of 1863-1864 the men harbored
in eastern Tennessee, during which time they fought at Mossy Creek, Talbot's
and Dandridge, and performed valiantly the duties assigned to them. Their
work on January 27, 1864, when both battalions engaged at Fair Garden, dis-
persing the enemy and capturing many, besides a battery and battle flag, de-
serves special mention in the military record of Lawrence county. Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Leslie was killed by a bullet while he was cheering his men on to
victory. In the month of May the regiment started on the Atlanta campaign,
and fought at Varnell's Station, Georgia, and at Burnt Church, on June 2nd.
In the McCook raid and fight at Newman on July 31st the Fourth was very
l68 [-.MVRKNrF. AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
active. Atlanta once captured, the regiment moved to the state of Tennessee,
and fought at Columbia in October. The regiment was afterward placed at
several different points, including Nashville, Waterloo, and were under fire
at Plantersville and Selma. The men were mustered out of the service on
June 29, 1865, at Edgefield, Tennessee.
There were numerous other companies sent to the front from Lawrence
county. Evei-y new enlistment from Indiana was sure to have a strong repre-
sentation from this county. In the months of July and August, 1862, a com-
plete company was sent to the Sixteenth Regiment, three-year service, and was
known as Company D. At different periods of the war, Columbus Moore
and David B. Moore, of Mitchell, acted as captains ; William Mannington,
Milton N. Moore, D. B. Moore and Cyrus Crawford were first lieutenants;
Milton N. Moore was second lieutenant. The Sixteenth Regiment was under
the command of Col., Thomas J. Lucas, of Lawrenceburg. In August, 1862,
nearly sixty men from the county entered. Company F, Ninety-third Regiment,
the remainder being from Monroe county. Samuel J. Bartlett, Lafayette
Bodenhamer. George W. Reeves were captains : Alexander Hawkins, L.
Bodenhamer, G. W. Reeves and James S. Harvey, first lieutenants ; L. Boden-
hamer, G. W. Reeves and William S. Sowder, second lieutenants. DeWitt
C. Thomas was the colonel of the regiment. Six or eight Lawrence county
men also entered Company E, of the Ninety-seventh Regiment, which organ-
ization went from Springville. William T. Butcher was commissioned a first
lieutenant in 1865. Other men left the county from time to time to join
regiments made up in other places, and it is certain that Lawrence county did
not get full credit for her services. Henry Davis, Leesville, remembered
as a captain in the Lawrence county company which went to the Mexican war
in 1846, was made a lieutenant-colonel of the Eighty-second Regiment on
August 27, 1862, but resigned on October i, 1863.
Lawrence county, as her neighboring county, Monroe, managed to escape
the draft of October 6, 1862, being one of the fifteen counties in the state of
Indiana to escape the draft. Many of the counties and townships in the
state had been slow in filling their quotas, consequently the state military au-
thorities decided to hold a draft in September. In order to give the backward
districts an opportunity to make up their deficiency the draft w^as postponed
until October 6th, at which date it was executed. Charles G. Berry was ap-
pointed draft commissioner in Lawrence county: James R. Glover, provost
marshal, and John W. Newland, surgeon. However, these men had nothing
to do on the day of the draft, for the condition of the county was perfect.
The report of the state enrollment commissioners on September iq, 1862. in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 169
regard to the military status of the county, gave the locality the following
credits; Total militia, 1,732; total volunteers, 1,500; total exempt, 358;
conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, none ; total volunteers in the service,
1,500; total subject to draft, 1,374- This ver}^ excellent record was unsur-
passed in the state. Taking into consideration the fact that many men, pos-
sibly three hundred, enlisted several times, and were counted each time, the
record shows that from April, 1861, to September, 1862, the county sent ap-
proximately twelve hundred men into the service of the country, a record of
which to be proud.
morgan's RAID.
In July, 1863, the news that Morgan and his cavalry were in the state
threw the people of Lawrence county into a furore. The proximity of trouble
created excitement unequaled at any other time during the war. Only a few
days passed when six full companies were sent into Mitchell from the county,
and they were joined by four companies from Orange, Washington and Mon-
roe counties. The organization was called the One Hundred and Twelfth
Minute Men, under command of Col. Hiram F. Braxtan, of Bedford; Samuel
P. Dade, also of Bedford, was adjutant ; Ferdinand W. Beard, of Springville,
surgeon, and Addison W. Bare, of Br\'antsville, assistant surgeon. The com-
panies and their officers from Lawrence county were : Company B, Capt.
David T. Mitchell. First Lieut. Henry Paugh. Second Lieut. Bolivar Duncan ;
Company D, Capt. William Muir, First Lieut. George W. Douglass, Second
Lieut. Oily Owens ; Company F, Capt. Willoughby Blevins, First Lieut.
Milton McKee, Second Lieut. William Withers; Company G, Capt. John H.
Bartlett, First Lieut. Alexander Hawkins, Second Lieut. Elisha Lee; Com-
pany H, Capt. Zachariah B. Wilson, First Lieut. Benjamin R. Smith, Second
Lieut. Theodore Stackhouse; Company K, Capt. John Beaty, First Lieut.
Josiah C. Foster, Second Lieut. John P. Potter. The period of service of this
regiment of minute men was from July lOth to the 17th, 1863. From Mitchell
they went to Seymour, and from there to North Vernon to meet General
Morgan and his raiders, thence to Sunman's Station, and then home again.
At this same period of fright, three other companies, E, H and I, entered the
One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, minute men. Company E was under
Capt. A. F. Tannehill, First Lieut. Henry Cox and Second Lieut. H. F. Pit-
man. Company H was under Capt. Francis M. Davis, First Lieut. Samuel
Lynn and Second Lieut. John Dean. Company I was under Capt. Luther
Briggs, First Lieut. George W. Burton and Second Lieut. Anderson Beasley.
Thev were in service six days, ending July 16. 1863. They went from
170 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Mitchell directly to North Vernon, then to Snnman's Station, then Indian-
apolis, and home.
On June 15, 1863, there was a call for six months' men, and in com-
pliance with this order Lawrence county responded with a full company, which
became Company D, of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, and
officered by Hiram F. Braxtan, captain, Robert R. Stewart, first lieutenant,
and James H. Crawford, second lieutenant. Very little active fighting fell
to the lot of these men, but they performed well their services as provost
guards, and experienced hardships on field and march equally as disastrous
as the rebel bullets.
As late as 1864 there were many enlistments from Lawrence county.
In the spring of that year twenty-five men went to Company H, and fifty-six
men to Company I, One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment, three-year service.
Of Company H, John H. Bartlett, second lieutenant, and in Company I,
William J. Cook and John V. Smith, captains, J. V. Smith and William Day,
first lieutenants, Henry H. Reath and W. Day, second lieutenants, were from
this county. They were mustered in during the months of February and
March, 1864, under command of Col. Richard F. Prather, and took the field
at Louisville, then Nashville, and Charleston, Tennessee, and then joined the
Atlanta campaign, fighting at Resaca, where the boys won renown by charg-
ing and routing the enemy. Other notable engagements which this regiment
experienced were Lost and Kenesaw Mountains, Atlanta on July 22nd, and
Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Wise's Fork on March 8, 1865. The men
joined in the pursuit of Hood after Atlanta. In the sanguinary conflict at
Franklin, the regiment lost its major and forty-eight men were killed and
wounded ; their losses in other battles were also large, as they were ever in the
thickest of the fight. At Franklin they formed a part of the solid blue line
which the enemy, by thirteen successive charges, failed to break. At Wise's
Fork, after their removal to North Carolina, of the One Hundred and Twen-
tieth seven were killed and forty-eight wounded. The regiment was mus-
tered from the service in the early part of 1866.
In the fore part of 1864 twenty-five men joined Company H, of the One
Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, were mustered in on April 5th, and the
company had as officers the following men from Lawrence county : John W.
Mannington and William M. Munson, first lieutenants and W. M. Munson
and Samuel Cook, second lieutenants. The regiment was properly named
the Thirteenth Cavalry. Among the engagements in which it participated
were Overall's Creek. Wilkinson's Pike, Nashville (dismounted), the invest-
ment of Mobile, and in manv other small raids and skirmishes. Their losses
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, IXOIAXA. I7I
totaled sixty-five men killed and wounded, and the command was mustered out
at Vicksburg on November i8. 186^.
The call for one-hundred-day men was answered in May, 18(14, ]>y the
county. A full company was sent to the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth
Regiment. The company was assigned the letter E, and was officered by
David Mitchell, captain; Francis L. Parkison, first lieutenant, and William
Patterson, second lieutenant. This company was mustered into service on
May 21st, and were assigned to provost duty in Kentucky and Tennessee.
In September, 1864, Company A was raised in Lawrence county for the One
Hundred and Fortieth Regiment. Charles P. Pendergast and Robert R. R.
Stewart were captains; R. R. R. Stewart and James T. Andrews were first
lieutenants ; J. T. Andrews, Eli M. Dale and John R. Smith, second lieutenants.
Pendergast was commissioned a major, E. M. Dale, adjutant, and David T.
Mitchell, a lieutenant-colonel. The men were mustered in for one year's
service, under command of Col. Thomas J. Brady. On the 15th of November
they were taken to Nashville, and then to Murfreesboro, where there were
quite a number of skirmishes and small engagements. In December the regi-
ment moved to Columbia, and in January, 1865, to Washington, D. C. Shortly
afterward, they were transported to North Carolina, in time to aid in the
attack on Fort Fisher. Also the regiment was in the movement on Fort
Anderson, was under the fire of the Federal gunboats, and captured the flag
of the garrison. The men were in the struggle at Town Creek Bridge, where
the enemy were completely defeated and captured. Subsequent movements
included Kingston, Goldsboro, Raleigh, and Greensboro, and at the latter
place the men were mustered from the service on July 11, 1865.
The last volunteering in Lawrence county occurred in the early months
of 1865, when the L^nion forces were being concentrated around the Army of
Northern Virginia. Men who had hitherto failed to enlist saw the approach-
ing crisis and were anxious to join the victorious forces. In January, 1865,
Company B, of the One Hundred and Forty-fifth, was nearly all raised in
Lawrence county, and seventeen men for Company C and fifty for Company
D of the same regiment. Vinson V. Williams and Michael A. Gelwick of
this county were captains in Company B; Gelwick, Samuel Hostetler, James
McClelland were first lieutenants and Hostetler, McClelland and William J.
Owens were second lieutenants. In Company C Archibald Anderson was a
first lieutenant and later a captain. In Company D George W. Burton was a
captain, David A. Goodin, a first lieutenant, and John Stotts and Adolphus
W. Trueblood, second lieutenants. The regiment was under the command of
Col. W. A. Adams, loshua Budd. of Mitchell, adjutant, and Vinson V.
172 l..\\VRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Williams, major, and later lieutenant-colonel. The men were mustered in in
January and February, 1865, and on the i8th of February left Indianapolis
for Nashville, Tennessee, arriving there on the 21st, and on the 23d reported
to General Steadman at Chattanooga. Their period of service consisted
mostly in provost duty near Dalton. and in Marietta where they remained
until August 1865. They were removed to Cuthbert, Georgia, in January,
1866, and were mustered from the service at Macon, Georgia.
The Lawrence County Legion was an organization consisting of twelve
companies. The following is a list of these companies, the date of their
organization, and the officers of each. Reserved Guards of Bedford, June,
i86i — John M. Harron, captain; W. N. Bivins, first lieutenant; G. W. Rahm,
second lieutenant. Union Guards of Bedford, June, 1861 — Charles G. Back,
captain; W. P. Malott. first lieutenant; A. P. Lemon, second Heutenant.
Perry Guards, June, 1861 — John P. Potter, captain; B. F. Dean, first lieu-
tenant; F. W. Beard, second lieutenant. Independent Grays of Fayetteville,
July, 1861 — John Foot and A. F. Tannehill, captains; Eldridge Williams, J.
H. Reynolds and Henry Cox, first lieutenants; H. F. Pitman, second lieu-
tenant. Mitchell Light Infantry, July, 1861 — William Muir, captain; G. W.
Douglas, first lieutenant: William Hammersley, second lieutenant. Big
Spring Guards, July, 1861 — Samuel Hostetler. captain; John L- Stewart, first
lieutenant; R. R. Stewart, second lieutenant. Lawrence Guards of Bedford,
July, 1863 — Henry C. Hardy, captain; William Cook, first lieutenant; J. W.
Glover, second lieutenant. Marshal Guards, July, 1:863. — A. Anderson, cap-
tain; B. F. Kingrey, first lieutenant; T. J. Boruff, second lieutenant. Helton-
ville Guards, August, 1862 — J. J. Durand, captain; Hiram Malott, first lieu-
tenant ; William Gray, second lieutenant. Leatherwood Sharpshooters. Aug-
ust. 1863— Silas N. Whitted, captain; Eli Younger, first lieutenant ; John Mal-
ott, second lieutenant. Bartlettsville Guards, August, 1863 — J. H. Bartlett
and S. J. Bartlett, captains ; Alexander Hawkins, first lieutenant ; J. H. Clen-
denin, second lieutenant. Jefferson Grays, August. 1863— G. W. Burton,
captain; Obed Mercer, first lieutenant; Michael Voorhis, second lieutenant.
Henry Davis was a colonel.
Many other regiments which participated in the war of the Rebellion
had varying numbers of men from Lawrence county in their personnel.
Twenty-seven men enrolled in Company F of the Ninety-third Regiment late
in 1862 and early in 1863. In June, 1863. about ten men were recruited for
Company F, of the Sixty-fifth. Later in the same year and in the beginning
of 1864 twenty-six men joined Company G of the Fourth Cavalry. Several
entered the Twentv- fourth and a few the Eighteenth. Late in 1864 and early
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. IiNDIANA.
^72,
in 1865 thirty-five men enlisted in Company D of the Sixteenth. About the
same time eighty-five recruits left Lawrence county for Company F of the
Forty-third.
The second draft for enlisted men occurred in Indiana in October, 1864.
Lawrence county came within the bounds of the third district, and the ofificers
wtre: John R. B. Glasscock, commissioner; Albert G. Collier, surgeon;
Simeon Stansifer, provost marshal, to March. 1865, and then James B. Mulky.
These district ofificers were appointed in May, 1863. The county was not
fortunate, as she had been in the draft of October, 1862. and several men were
forced to enlist. The reports show that eighty men were drafted in Law-
rence county. The third draft for Indiana occurred in Februaiy, 1865. The
demand on the county was very light, as the records show only two men
credited. It is questionable whether or not the draft ever took place in the
county, but if it did, it was extremely light. Doubtless, had the county been
accredited with all the men who enlisted in other counties, she would have
never been burdened with the draft.
In summarizing the number of men furnished by the county of Lawrence
for the Federal army, it is well to give a few of thed figures compiled by reliable
authorities, relating to the subject. Before December 19, 1862. the county
was credited with a contribution of 1,500 men prior to that date. Under the
call of June i, 1863, for six months' men the county supplied a complete com-
pany of one hundred men. In October, 1863, she furnished 149 men. By a
table prepared on the last day of the year, 1864, the calls of 1864 are tabulated
by counties, and the total, that is, the report for Lawrence county as a whole,
is as follows: First enrollment, 1,874; quota under call of Februaiy i, 1864,
299; quota under call of March 14, 1864, ^20; quota under call of July 18,
1864, 310; total of quotas and deficiencies, 729; credits by voluntary enlist-
ments, new recruits, 586, veterans, lOi ; credits by draft, 80; total credits by
enlistments and draft, 767; one year, 150; three years, 617; surplus, 38. On
April 14, 1865, the following figures were prepared by authority, at which
time all efforts were abandoned in raising men: Second enrollment, 1,191;
quota under call of December 19, 1864, 147; total of quotas and deficiencies,
147; new recruits, 148; credits by draft, 2; total credits by enlistments and
draft, 150; deficiency, 43; and surplus, 46. Taking all enlistments together
it is shown that 2,669 men enlisted from Lawrence county during the progress
of the war, but as some men enlisted as high as three or four times, and were
counted each time, the number is much too large. It has been estinlated that
fifteen hundred men left Lawrence county for the Federal army, which record
is an excellent one in the scale of Indiana counties.
174 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
One of the chief reasons for the success of the great Northern armies
is the fact that in the homes and towns where the brave fellows hailed from
there were preparations constantly being made for relief and aid. Mothers
and sisters and sweethearts sewed and collected sundry articles to be sent to
the field, entertainments of all kinds were given and the proceeds invested in
supplies, and many a helping hand was extended to the soldiers' families who
were destitute, their support at the front risking his life for the countiy.
Pleasures were sacrificed, luxuries forgotten, and just the necessities were
spent by the Northern people, in order that the hardships of the men in the
field might be lessened and a measure of comfort given the battlefield and
camp. In the adjutant general's report on the amount of bounty and relief
furnished by Lawrence county during the war, the following figures will be
interesting: The county, bounty, $61,700, relief, $2,815; Flinn township:
bounty, $4,600, relief, $500; Pleasant Run township: bounty, $1,000, relief,
$300; Perry township: bounty, $1,650, relief, $500; Indian Creek township:
bounty, $8,400, relief, $1,500; Spice Valley township: bounty, $1,426, relief,
$650; Marion township: $5,000, relief, $1,000; Bono township: bounty,
$3,200, relief, $1,000; Shawswick township: bounty, $3,125, relief, $4,000;
and Marshall township: bounty, $2,600, relief, $300. Making a total of
bounty, $92,701 and relief, $12,565.
In a county history of the scope and importance of this volume, there are
a thousand and one little incidents of war-time public meetings, celebrations,
.societies, supplies furnished, mass meetings, eulogies, speeches, and personal
notes which can be gained through but one source, the newspaper files. Past
historians have discovered that such a file is absent in the county of Lawrence,
due to a theft or accidental destruction. These interesting parts of the chapter
on the military history are consequently lost for all time.
THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
When the Spanish-American war broke out in 1898, there was a great
amount of excitement in the city of Bedford and the surrounding country.
The young bloods prepared to enlist immediately, and, as there was no regu-
larly organized company in Bedford, the most of the recruits went to Indi-
anapolis and Louisville, where they joined the National Guard being rendez-
voused at those points. With a few exceptions, these men saw' little service,
for their regiments were transported to Camp Thomas at Chickamauga, Camp
Alger, and other places, and there kept during the summer without receiving
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I75
opportunity to get to the tiring line in Cuba. Certain men enlisted in the
regular army, and thus were able to participate in the fighting.
After the peace between the two countries, many other men enlisted in
the regular United States army, and were sent to the Philippines, to quell the
insurrection there. The Thirty-fifth United States Regiment, the Fortieth,
and the Second United States Artillery received most of these men. All
together, during the war period, approximately three hundred men joined the
American forces from Lawrence county.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CITY OF BEDFORD.
Bedford exists because the location was selected by the county seat
locating commissioners in 1825 as the seat of justice for Lawrence county,
after it had been located at old Palestine (now defunct) for about seven years,
mention of which is made in the chapter on "County Government." The
original plat contained two hundred acres ; in length this tract was two hun-
dred rods and in width' one hundred and sixty rods. The survey was to begin,
as per order of the county board, on March 30. 1825. It took several days,
but when finished the platting was a fac simile of the original town of Pales-
tine. Many lots were lawfully exchanged in Palestine for ones in Bedford,
but other lots were sold at public auction commencing June 2, 1826. The
proceeds of the lot sales was $1,849.25. The geographical situation of the
city is (or the first platting was) in sections 14 and 23, township 5 north and
range i west.
The land was located in consideration that the county seat should be
located here. The donation was made by Samuel F. Irwin, Joseph Glover,
John Owens, Reuben Kilgore, Moses Woodrufif and Isaac Stewart. It is a
beautiful town site now, 'but when first occupied was not of the most charming,
although the eminence of its higher lands and general landscape view was even
by nature always sightly and fine to behold.
Among the first to reside in Bedford were John Lowrey, clerk and re-
corder of the county; Henry Lowrey, merchant, of the firm of Lowrey &
Simpson, the latter being a non-resident, however ; Samuel F. Irwin, merchant ;
Joseph Athon, hotel proprietor; Rollin C. Dewey, a lawyer; L. N. Livingston,
lawyer; John Vestal, merchant; Samuel D. Bishop, carpenter; John Brown
postmaster; Jacob Mosier, a Methodist minister; Samuel Wilson, laborer;
Richard Evans, miller ; Gotleib Byrer, a hatter ; David Borland, tanner ; Joseph
Cowan, stone mason; Turner Sullivan, wagoner; William Sullivan, black-
smith; Joseph Cuthbertson, cabinetmaker; Henry Parsell, laborer; William
Benefield, hotel keeper; William Kelsey, deputy sherifif; Henry Hendricks,
saddler; John Ouackenbosh, carpenter; Henry Quackenbosh, laborer; Jacob
Hufif. wagoner; Winthrop Foote, physician; A. H. Dunihue, merchant for
Isaac Stewart; Andrew Hattabaugh, liquor dealer. These men, with their
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 77
families, and possibly a half dozen more, constituted the first to locate at Bed-
ford, all having settled here by the spring of 1826. The next five years saw-
many additions to the population, and they were too numerous to here enumer-
ate. But suffice it to state that many of the'ir offspring still reside in and near
the city.
FIRST BUSINESS HOUSES.
The start in merchandising here was effected by the firm of Irwin & Stew-
art (Samuel F. Irwin and Isaac Stewart), who occupied the first frame build-
ing in the town. They carried a four-thousand-dollar stock of general mer-
chandise. A. H. Dunihue, who came to the town in 1826, entered this store
as a clerk, continuing as such for a number of years. In 1830 the store was
sold to Joseph Rawlins, and he followed mercantile business for thirty years,
accumulating a fortune.
The second store was opened by Lowrey & Simpson, who commenced
soon after the first store started. They thrived many years.
The first "groceiy" was started by Andrew Hattabaugh in 1826. It was
really a saloon, but then known as a "wet grocery" ; it was kept in a log build-
ing on the east side of the public square. In 1827 came a man of much
prominence named Moses Fell and he opened a general store which he success-
fully conducted until his death, in 1840. William McLane, who had been
dubbed colonel, and who had conducted a store as early as 181 5 at Orleans,
Orange county, located at Bedford, where for many years he was engaged
in merchandising. For a time he was president of the Bedford Branch of
the old Indiana State Bank, and was the owner of a large drygoods business
at Louisville, Kentucky. He amassed a fortune of one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars and in 1854 removed to Texas, where he died in 1873, aged
eighty-five.
In 1828. John Vestal, who had been engaged in trade at Springville,
opened a general store in Bedford on the: southeast corner of the public square,
continuing until about the date of his death in 1873.
William Benefield opened the first tavern in Bedford in 1825. David
Kelley opened a liquor store in 1829. Foote & Fell ojiened another liquor
store at about that date and the following is a true copy of their "recommend" :
"Bedford. January 4, 1830.
"We, the undersigned subscribers, do certify that \\'inthrop Foote and
Moses Fell are men of good moral character." Signed l:)y John Brown and
eleven more.
(12)
1/8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FROM 1830 TO 1840.
This was a very prosperous decade for Bedford. In 1834 the first news-
paper was founded and a little later the branch of the old Indiana State Bank
was estabhshed here. This bank brought the town much ready money and
advertised it far and near, so that many speculators found their way here.
It was this class who started to buy and transport much pork, grain, etc., down
the rivers to the Southland. Vaughn & Moberly dealt extensively in liquors.
There were no less than seven firms engaged in this business at one time here
in that decade. Some became very wealthy from the profits of the whisky
trade. In fact nearly all of the pioneer merchants got their start in this busi-
ness. The only exception among these merchants was perhaps A. H. Dunihue,
who refused even to attach his name to certificates of "good moral character"
for those who sought a license to deal in liquors. But it must be admitted
that the sale of liquor those days was not fraught with the debauchery seen
in later times. Good, moral, religious men countenanced the sale, and even
conducted "groceries," as saloons were then styled, of their own. Other
merchants during the thirties were E. C. Moberly, D. R. Dunihue, Lankford
Trueblood, John Brown, Mason & Harvey, Jacob Clark,, Medicine, Vestal &
Crooke, M. A. & W. H. Malott, F. W. Dixon, and others whose names are
lost from view with the passage of years.
DURING THE FORTIES.
The decade from 1840 to 1850 saw manv changes in the role of business
men in Bedford. Henry J. Acoam at first sold liquor, but later opened a large
merchandise store. In 1845 permission was granted the citizens by the
county board to erect a market house, which was carried out. It was during
this eventful ten-year period that the effort to banish the sale of liquors from
"groceries" in the town was almost successful, at least the number was greatly
reduced, but a few old establishments, like Phillip Renter's, continued to thrive
in spite of opposition. Strong efforts were made to prevent the issuance of
licenses for Renter, and se\eral petitions with that object in view, after con-
sideration by the county board, were duly granted, but the sale did not stop.
One of these petitions which was granted was as follows, being given here as
an example of the times and for the old-time names attached thereto :
"Bedford, Indiana, December 24, 1844.
"To The Honorable Board of Commissioners of the County of Lawrence,
if in session; if not in session, to the Auditor and Treasurer of said county:
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 1 79
The undersigned citizens of the Town of Bedford, beheving that retaihng
spirituous liquors within the town hmits is pernicious in its effects, therefore
respectfully remonstrate against the granting of license to any person or per-
sons to retail spirituous liquors within the limits of said town for the term
of five years.
"D. R. Dunihue, Isaac Denson, William Newkirk, W. V. Daniel. M. W.
Houston, William Smith, Daniel Dunihue, Sr., C. P. Reed, A. G. Young,
Horatio Jeter, John Vestal, Joseph Rawlings, T. N. Robertson, James R.
Glover, James G. Duncan, Robert Biggs, Eli Dale. Henry Quackenbosh. John
Webb, Edmond B. Kennedy, William McLane. William S. Watson, Solomon
Eldridge, John Gyger, S. F. Irwin, H. B. Richardson. William Perkins, A. S.
Ferguson, John Owen, A. H. Donihue. Elizabeth Barner, Isaac Rector, Alex-
ander Wall, William Ross. F. T. Raymond, Oily Owens. J. G. McDonald,
Nancy Wilder, Edith H. Hendricks. Levi H. Dale. David Borland, William
Porter, Dr. Laforce, Luke Barker. W. W. Williamson. Ezekiel Blackwell, N.
D. Glazenbrook, R. M. Parks, James C. Lynn."
Mr. Renter was denied a license, but, through his attorney, James Hughes,
demanded a re-hearing, but this was refused, and) an exception was filed. The
matter was settled in the circuit court in such a manner that Renter was per-
mitted to go on with the sale of liquor. During this time a full list of the
resident families of the town was made up, but it is too lengthy to here ap-
pend. These families represented a population of five hundred people.
CIVIL WAR PERIOD. . 1 . ..
The business interests of Bedford from 1850 to 1870 were largely in the
hands of the following men and firms : In the fifties, Dunihue & Kelley,
M. A. Malott, Joseph Rawlins, John Vestal, J. C. Gavins, drugs; W. M.
Northcraft, clothing; John Sues, Portman & Francis, E. & E. M. Braxtan,
hardware ; Houston & Buskirk, furniture ; Krenking & Schmidt, grist mill ;
Godfrey Schlosser, marble dealers; J. G. fnkel. jeweler; W. W. Owens, post-
master; Malott & Sons, general store; J. S. Wigmore. watches and clocks;
James Calvert, furniture; R. H. Carlton & Company, drugs; Malott & Reed,
general store; Newland & Hostetler, drugs; B. Lepman. diy goods and cloth-
ing.
In the sixties the business was carried on by some of the above, with
others as follows : Park & Williams, general dealers ; Henry Ewald, grocer ;
Adam Ruth, furniture; J. P. Francis, general store; Charles Kramer, bakery;
Kahn & Brother, clothing; George Roberts, drugs; Glover & Driscoll. dentists;
l8o T.WVRENCK AND MONROE COfXTIES, INDIANA.
A. G. Gainey & Company, general store ; Howell & Johnson, drugs ; J. V. &
Z. C. Mathes, hardware; D. Barnes & Son, furniture; J. J. Hardy,, livery; Mrs.
S. A. W. Brown, millinery ; Abderson & Hamilton, books, etc. ; J. W. Acoam,
harness and saddles. The merchant tailors were Palmer & Messick.
EARLY MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
One of the hrst manufacturing plants of Bedford, odd as it may now
sound, was a distillery operated by steam, fitted up by Samuel F. Irwin in a
log cabin. At the same time he started a horse mill to supply his distillery
with ground grain. These two enterprises were popular and well patronized
by the surrounding farming community. Then, there was scarcely any other
market for corn than at the distilleries of the country. The present uses for
corn, such as glucose, etc., were then unknown. Corn was fed to hogs, which
were packed and shipped in large numbers to the South, on flat-boats. Some-
times the com sold for cash, but usually it was made up into liquor on the
shares. The large amounts of whisky and brandy made at the Irwin still
house were sent mostly to Louisville, Kentucky. An average of about three
barrels per day were turned out at this one distillery. This represented the
consumption of thirty-five bushels of corn, or an annual capacity of about
ten thousand bushels, equal to eight hundred barrels of liquor. Rye was also
used for the same purpose. Whisky sold at a shilling a gallon. After ten
years distilling by Irwin his l)usiness was abandoned.
In about 1836, a cotton factory was erected by William McLane, Samuel
F. Irwin, Moses Fell, John Vestal and a few more. The machinery came by
two-horse wagons from Lexington. Kentucky. H. B. Richardson and six
workmen operated this factory, he being the superintendent. The cotton was
purchased in Kentucky and hauled out to Bedford by wagons. Yarns were
made here, but no cloth was woven. In 1840 the factory was sold and shipped
to Salem.
In 183.4, Barker & Phelps started an ashery, which they conducted three
years. They paid three cents a bushel for 'ashes and sometimes had to pay as
high as seven cents per luisliel. From these they manufactured a fair quality
of black salts, which found sale in Louisville markets. Connected with this
plant was also a shingle factory owned and operated by the same men and
propelled by the same steam. The rough shingles, made from native woods,
found ready sale at home. As early as 1826, Richard Evans built a tread-
power saw mill near Bedford, which he conducted until about 1830; at first
it was well patronized.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. l8l
A large tanner}^ was l>uilt in 1826, some say earlier, by David Borland.
He conducted this twenty years. It had forty vats, and he did an extensive
business, the leather here made going" mostly to Louisville. About a year later
another tannery was started by Samuel and Thomas Biggs, consisting of
twenty vats. Later this was sold to Biggs & Young and operated for about
fifteen years longer, or probably up to 1855. These tanneries, in a good season.
made work for about a dozen workmen.
In 1826 Thomas and Robert Carlton bought the machinery of the old
woolen factory of the Lockharts. at Palestine, removed it to Bedford and
installed a factory here. Carding in all of its various forms was carried on
here on a large scale. A large custom business was done and from May to
September six hands were kept busy. Wool raised over a wide scope of
country was brought here to be carded and then returned to the families,
where it was woven into cloth. The Carltons also bought and shipped to
Louisville large amounts of wool. This industry lasted several years. In
1834, John Lynn started a carding factory and continued to operate it a
dozen or more years. His plant was really of more importance than that of
the Carltons, and gave work to as many men, also advanced beyond carding
to fulling and coloring without dressing. His work was known by its rough-
ness, its warmth and wearing qualities.
At an early day there -were three important cabinet shops in Bedford.
These were owned by Matthew Borland. William Templeton and Joseph
Culbertson. Each made tables, stands, bureaus, cupboards, chairs, bedsteads,
coffins, etc. About three workmen were constantly employed in each shop.
Two of these shops ran for many years.
THE PORK-PACKING INDUSTRY.
The packing and shipment of pork was a lively industry in Bedford in
the early history of the town. Chief among the operators were William Mc-
Lane, Samuel F. Irwin, Joseph Rawlins and David Borland. Michael A.
Malott also packed and shipped considerable pork. McLane & Irwin com-
menced this branch of business in 1827, when they erected a log building on
Leatherwood creek, below town. It was thirty by one hundred and twenty
feet in size, and it was occupied jointly by these two men, who, however,
worked separately. Hogs were bought over a large section of the country,
on credit, for which payment was made after the pork was marketed in the
South. The great cotton and sugar plantations demanded a vast amount of
this product, especially Mississippi and Louisiana, both sections liking the
182 LVWRKNCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
flavor of the Indiana corn-fed hogs. The packing season extended from
November to February, and from twelve to tv^^enty workmen were employed
in each packing house, where there were slaughtered and packed from five to
nine thousand hogs, sufficient to load about six large flat-boats. Joseph
Rawlins and David Borland each had a packing house on Salt creek, where
they carried on about as extensive operations as the two last-named gentlemen.
For many years from five to twelve thousand hogs were slaughtered and
packed by these four men. It required about eight flat-boats to transport
twelve thousand hogs. These boats were built as needed, from native lum-
ber, at the packing houses, and sold in southern markets after having been
unloaded. During those palmy days of flat-boating it is related that about
seventy-five of these rude crafts were sent down the river from Lawrence
county annually. During the busy months fifty men were employed by the
Bedford packers. Nothing has ever been so large in the industrial line in
Bedford until the opening of the Bedford stone industry a few decades since.
Another early industry was that of making hats. Gotleib Byrer, John
Hovious and William Cook each owned a battery, each g"i\ing employment to
three to five men. Each made hats from fur and wool. Byrer began as
early as 1826. continuing ten years. Hats were made from mink, otter,
beaver, coon and other furs, and from lamb's wool. As many as fifteen hun-
dred hats were manufactured in Bedford in a single year. They sold at
prices ranging from fifty cents to six dollars.
The Bedford Woolen MiUs were built about 1859, by Charles Mason &
Son, of Michigan. They had an excellent business. J. H. Mason & Company
owned the mills at the close of the Civil war. and at the time sixty-cent cassi-
n.eres, sixty-cent jeans, sixty-five-cent satinets, forty-five to ninety-cent flan-
nels, and four dollar and fifty cent blankets were the chief articles made. Also
this firm did an extensive carding business, at ten cents a pound. Carding and
spinning was twenty-seven cents per pound. Soon after this, however, the
business declined and war prices no longer obtained, and the property was
transferred to Dr. J. C. Ca\ins, who owned it until 1871, when if passed to
Jesse A. Mitchell, who, with W. C. Windstandley. owned it in the middle of
the eighties. At one time goods made here went freely into nine states and
amounted in the aggregate to thirty thousand dollars annually. Weaving was
discontinued in 1882 and within a few years the business, with hundreds of
others in that line, took on a different mode of operation and got into the hands
of trusts, etc., and at last closed down permanently.
A good flouring mill was built here about 1870 by Charles Cramer, who
did an immense business for many years, until the flour industiy also shaped
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 183
itself into milling trusts, such as the great mills at Minneapolis, after which
the mills only ground for local demand.
Then there was the furniture factory of James McPheeters, with
which was connected a large sav mill. All the patented and latest machin-
ery for making chairs, tables, etc., was used and prosperity was with this
branch of home industry, but in later years it went down with the inevitable
change wrought out by the larger concerns of the country centralizing.
PRESENT INDUSTRIES OF BEDFORD.
In the fall of 1913 the following included about all the industrial con-
cerns of Bedford :
The railroads were the "Monon," the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern,
the Terre Haute & Southeastern, and Belt Line.
There were four saw mills for timber sawing.
Within three miles radius there were stone quarries and stone dressing
mills having a capital of not less than six million dollars.
The Bedford Boiler Works were located at No. 1306 Seventh street.
There was one bottling works ; two brick-making plants ; the car shops-
of the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern railroad; the United States
Cement Company's plant in the eastern limits of city; the Lemon Flouring
Mills, No. 1 128' Seventeenth street; Bedford Foundry and Machine Shops,,
at Fifth and K streets; John Hartman's planing mills, at Sixth and J streets,,
and a few lesser plants.
CITY LIBRARY.
While the present city library is really a coimty institution from the
fact that the people of the county are taxed a small amount annually for its
support, yet it is styled a city library. Its history runs back many years as a
city or town library.
Long before the great iron master, Andrew Carnegie, won fame at the
steel works in Pittsburg and amassed his fortune, Bedford had a public
library. In the organization of the various counties in this state, very
wisely the lawmakers set apart ten per cent, of the sales of the county seat
town lots for the establishment of a county libran.^ As the proceeds in this
county were considerable, the library was placed on a finn footing at a very
early day in the history of the town and county. The books kept in this
library were read and reread many times by several generations who had
grown up in Lawrence county. The first books were purchased in 1819, and
184 L.VWRKXCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
were kept in the ci>urt house by John Lowrey, county clerk, and consisted
of about one Imndred vokunes of standard books of that period. By Febru-
ary, 1823, the Hbrary fund had amounted to about seven hundred and fifty
dollars, a greater portion of which was placed out on interest. In 1821 a
neat book case was made and placed in the northeast room of the old court
house at Palestine, the old seat of justice of this county. Nearly every old
pioneer had been a member of the board of trustees for this library. In
1840 there were five hundred volumes of books. In 1824 the fund was
nine hundred dollars, and reached at one time about twelve hundred dollars.
About half this sum was used and the remainder was loaned out. At one
time the liljrary owned a lot in town, which was finally sold. In 1895 the
permanent fund amounted to two thousand dollars and the books were being
kept in the county recorder's office at Bedford.
In 1856 the state furnished the county with eight township libraries,
distributed in proportion to the population. Each library composed three
hundred volumes of general matter. But few of these survived more than
twenty-five years.
Late in the fifties the McClure libraries were received, two or three in
the county, but after six years the design of the benevolent testator was
carelessly thwarted by the distribution of the books, to individual members,
or in cases actually sold at auction.
But to return to the public library at Bedford, properly speaking, it
should be said that the books were finally removed from the court house and
taken to the old Baptist church building, near the present federal building
on b'ourteenth street, and there the library was kept until its removal, about
1902, to the present public Hbrary, the building of which was the gift of
Andrew Carnegie, and the lot dt^nated by the city. This fine stone structure
cost twenty thousand dollars and now has about eleven thousand volumes on
its shelves. A board of trustees, holding life-time terms, has charge of the
libraiT, which faces the new United States building, the postoffice on K
street. The librarian is Georgia Friedley. who has been in charge since the
removal to the new building.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
The postoffice at Bedford was established in 1825, having first been at
the old county seat town of Palestine, where it was established in 1819, with
John Brown as first postmaster. The following is a list of postmasters in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
185
Bedford, with date of appointment, as furnished by the department at \\''ash-
ington :
June I. 1825 — John Brown.
October 17. 1829— Robert M. Carl-
ton.
May 7. 1836— Robert Mitchell.
May 31. 1841 — Gustavus Clark.
August TO, 1845— Samuel Mitchell.
October 30. 1848 — Benjamin New-
land.
November 21. 1849 — Wihie W.
Owens.
March t8. 1851— AMUiam M. North-
craft.
May 7. 1852— \\'illie \\'. Owens.
June 7, 1853 — Robert M. Parks.
March 5, 1855^. Wesley Newland.
March 13. 1857 — James C. Carlton.
March 19. 1861 — Isaac Rector.
March 30. 1863— William S. Riley.
June 30. 1864 — Paris T. Vestal.
September 21, 1864 — James M.
Mathes.
August 17, 1866 — James C. Carlton.
March 17, 1869 — J. M. Mathes.
March 14. 1877 — Henry Davis.
May 6, 1885— James C. Carlton.
December 21. 1889 — William Erwin.
Januan*^ 9, 1894 — John Johnson, Jr.
January to, 1898 — Vinson V. Will-
iams.
January 29. 1906— Sherman L.
Reach.
Bedford is now a second class office and has six rural free delivery- routes
extending out into the surrounding country, with routes averaging about
twenty-four miles each. It was made a free city delivery office in November,
1900, and now has five carriers. There are now thirteen mail trains a day
in Bedford. The federal postoffice building, on K street, near Fourteenth
Street, was erected at a cost of seventy-one thousand dollars. It was com-
pleted in October. 1909. The site is included in the above cost of the build-
ing. The present are the employes and officers of the Bedford postoffice:
Sherman L. Reach, postmaster: Doyle W. Graham, assistant postmaster:
Albert H. Dunihue. postal savings department: Walter A. Pitman, Lew W.
Cosner. ^^'illiam E. Cannedy, general utility clerks: Arthur J. Boy and
Albert H. Fletcher, mailing clerks: Joseph L. Glover, Leroy R. Trueblood.
Oliver L. Rayburn. Harrison M. Ramsey and Edward C. Consalus, city
carriers: Frank M. Carlton, Lawrence Stutz. Isaac H. Crim, James W. An-
derson, Opal Armstrong and Harley S. Abderson. rural carriers. Basil
Miller is special delivery messenger: Dell Hazel, char-woman. Postal sav-
ings amount to $15,811.
l86 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
BANKING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Bedford is one of the oldest banking towns in the state. When the
Bedford branch of the State Bank of Indiana was organized in 1834, twelve
banks were to be established in as many districts. The eighth district was
composed of the counties of Orange, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Martin
and Greene. After great rivalry the branch was located at Bedford, largely
for the reason of its central location. The bank was chartered for twenty-
five years, and the capital was furnished, one-half by the state and one-half
by individual stockholders. The state directors of the Bedford Branch were
Moses Fell, William McLane and Pleasant Parks, and its first ofificers were,
William McLane, president; D. R. Dunihue, cashier, and John Brown, clerk.
The second president was John Vestal, and in 1848, Mr. Dunihue was suc-
ceeded as cashier by Isaac Rector. At one time there were over one hun-
dred stockholders in this bank, several residing outside the county of Law-
rence. Among the leading stcokholders at first were William McLane,
Moses Fell, John Vestal, Joseph Rawlins, David and Matthew Borland, M.
A. Malott and John Inman, John Bowland, William Fish, G. G. Dunn, A. H.
Dunihue. At one date in 1838 there were upwards of three hundred bor-
rowers at this bank. The liabilities of the directors as drawers were $38,200;
number of stockholders holding under $500, twenty-five; number holding
from $500 to $5,000, twenty: number holding over $5,000, one. On Decem-
ber 14, 1839, there was in this bank specie to the amount of $63,677.88, and
August 24th of the same year there was $100,590.96. This banking concern
did a great deal for Lawrence county and Bedford in those early days. Its
loans were extremely large in the fall and winter to pork and grain dealers.
Its circulation exceeded $100,000 considerably, and the individual deposits
at times were even much greater than this amount. Its affairs were wound
up in 1854 and from its effects came the organization of the old Bank of the
State of Indiana, founded at Bedford with a capital of $150,000. D. Rick-
etts was president and G. A. Thornton, cashier. It did a flourishing business,
with many stockholders, and its issues were always received par value. In
1865, M. A. Malott became president and W. C. Winstandley, cashier. Un-
der'this management the bank was conducted until the spring of 1871, when
its long career was honorably brought to a close and the issues all retired.
In October, that year, the Bedford National Bank was organized with a capi-
tal of $100,000, and M. A. Malott was president and W. C. Winstandley,
cashier. This organization began with large deposits and continued to grow.
At the death bi Mr. M. A. Malott in the autumn of 1875, W. C. Winstandley
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 187
became president, and T. H. Malott, cashier. Succeeding this bank came
the private bank called the Bedford Bank, whose stockholders were W. C.
Winstandley, Mrs. Elizabeth Malott, Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner, Mrs. Mary H.
Duncan, T. H. Malott, N. E. Malott and John E. Malott. In 1884 this was
the only bank in the city of Bedford and was doing an extensive business for
those days.
A private bank was conducted between 1857 ^"d 1865, by Isaac Rector.
It finally failed, and it is said that many in the community lost considerable
by his failure.
. The Indiana National Bank was organized by Thomas Marshall and
others, about 1880, but was absorbed by the Bedford Bank shortly after its
organization and liquidated.
The present (1913) banking concerns of Bedford are as follows:
THE BEDFORD NATIONAL BANK.
This banking house was organized in May, 1899, and its location is on
the corner of Sixteenth and I streets, Bedford. It was organized by John
R. Walsh, J. J. Brooks, Vinson V. Williams, Thomas O. Daggy and George
W. McDaniel. Its first president was John R. Walsh; Dr. W. H. Smith,
vice-president ; Thomas O. Daggy, cashier ; William Erwin, assistant cashier,
and has a present surplus of $20,000. Its recent deposits amount to $380,000.
The bank's first capital was $50,000, but it has been increased to $100,000,
It owns its own bank building, worth $25,000. Its charter from the United
States is dated in 1899. The present officers are as follows: Thomas J.
Brooks, president ; George W. Hay, vice-president ; W. A. Brown, cashier.
This institution has always 'been looked upon as one of the solid banks
of southern Indiana, and its officers and stockholders have from the first
been among the best class of citizens in the county and commonwealth. Its
methods of transacting business are correct and the people have all confidence
in the men at the various desks. To be a depositor in this bank is to be safe
and secure.
THE CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK.
The Citizens National Bank, of Bedford, was organized in 1891, as a
state bank, by A. C. Voris, S. B. Voris, W. H. Martin, E. D. Norton and
John Haase. In 1898 it was converted into a national bank. Its first capital
was $50,000, but it is now working under a capital of $100,000. Its surplus
in the autumn ' of 1913 was S^20,ooo: undivided profits. $20,000; deposits,
$550,000.
l88 I.AWRKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The present (1913) officers of this solid banking institution are as fol-
lows : J. R. Voris, president ; H. G. Alderhagen, cashier. The original
officers of the bank were, .\. C. Voris, president, and J. R. Voris, cashier.
In the twenty-two years that this concern has been doing business in the
county it has opened thousands of accounts and received and paid out mil-
lions of dollars over its counters. It has come through the financial storms
of the country, when others failed, but this bank has always met its obliga-
tions to the people who have from time to time deposited their money there.
The gentlemen who have been at the head of it h^ve all been men of good
business judgment and have looked well to the interests of their patrons.
THE CITIZENS TRTST COMPANY OF BEDFORD.
This l)anking institution was organized in March, 1900, with a capital
of $25,000, and has been increased to $35,000. It now has a surplus of
$15,000, with deposits amounting to $300,000. It was organized by A. C.
Voris, William M. Mathews. Michael N. Messick, I. N. Glover, Harry M.
Voris. Edward K. Dye and John W. Cossner. The first officers were : A.
C. Voris, president; M. N. Messick, vice-president; I. N. Glover, cashier.
The officers today are : William H. Martin, president : Charles H. Emery,
vice-president ; E. E. Farmer, secretary and treasurer.
The statement of this concern in August, 1913. showed resources
amounting to $373,643, with liabilities the same amount. Of the resources
exhil)ite(I in this statement, there were the items of $285,034 as loans and
discounts; bonds and stocks, $21,440; bonds to secure postal savings de-
posits, $7,000. In the list of liabilities there appears the items of undivided
profits. $1,954; surplus, $15,000; interest, discount and other earnings,
$11,464.
THE STONE CITY BANK.
The Stone City Bank, of Bedford, was organized in 1890 with a capital
of $25,000, which has been increased to $75,000, with a surplus of $13,227,
with deposits of $350,000. The first officers and organizers were; J. M.
Andrews, president; I. N. Glover, cashier; T. V. Thornton, vice-president;
H. E. Wells, John W. Cosner, W. A. Webb, E. D. Pearson, J. Y. Bates, M.
N. Messick, George W. McDaniel, V. V. Williams.
The bank erected a building of its own in 1893, in which they still
operate their extensive banking business.
The present ("1913) officers are; W. E. McCormick, president; Will-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 189
iam Turley. vice-president: Henry D. Alartin, cashier: H. E. A/IcCormick,
assistant cashier. The board of directors are W. E. McCormick, WilHam
Turley. Dr. J. T. Freeland, H. D. Martin. S. L. Keach. Frank W. Holland
and C. H. Cobb.
Their recent statement shows items in the table of resources as follows:
Loans and discounts, $265,437; overdrafts, $3,135; cash on hand, $26,333,
while in the list of liabilities are these items: Capital stock. $75,000; surplus,
$10,766; undivided profits, $2,461; demand deposits. $328,831, making a
total of $419,501 for the resources, with the same in the column of liabili-
ties, all showing an excellent banking business, handled by men of sound
business principles, having the confidence of the community in which they
operate a first class, modern bank.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
Before Bedford was ruled under a ''city" government, which was not
until 1889, it was a town incorporation for many years. On June 10, 1864,
the Lawrence county commissioners were petitioned to order an election to
settle the question whether the place should be incorporated or not. The
proposed "town of Bedford" was to comprise one thousand four hundred
and forty acres. The day of election was fixed as June 29, 1864, and on
that day there were one hundred and twenty-two \'Otes cast in favor of in-
corporation and only fourteen against the measure, whereupon on Septem-
ber 8, 1864, the county board duly declared Bedford to be an incorporated
town. The first officers were M. N. Messick, D. W. Parker and J. D. Thomp-
son, trustees; John M. Stalker, clerk; Levi H. Dale, marshal; A. H. Duni-
hue, treasurer. J. D. Thompson, trustee, immediately resigned and was suc-
ceeded by A. C. Glover, and J. M. Stalker, clerk, having resigned, was suc-
ceeded by H. F. Braxton. The first acts of the new board of trustees was to
formulate a set of ordinances, which consumed several weeks' time. E. D.
Pearson was appointed town attorney. The question of granting a liquor
seller's license was up before the trustees, who submitted to Judge Bicknell,
of the circuit court, that they had not that right. The records show that
the receipts and e.xpenditures in the new town of Bedford from Octol^er 28.
1864. to April 22. 1865. were as follows: Receipts — Liquor license. S150.00;
peddler's license. $17.00: gymnastic performers. S4.00 : total. $171.00. The
expenditures were — Printing. $31.95: copying ordinances, $34-00; liquor
license refunded, $50.00; cash to balance. $55.05. making the account to
foot and balance. $171.00.
190 T.WVREXCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The municipal go\ernnient was in abeyance from 1866 to September,
1869, and was then revived by the election of the following ofiBcers : Alex-
ander H. Dunihue, James C. Carlton and E. D. Pearson, trustee; M. N.
Messick, clerk and treasurer ; Erastus Ikerd, marshal. A new and complete
code of ordinances were then made, Newton Crook having been chosen
town attorney. One of the early acts of this board was to issue ten thou-
sand dollars in school bonds to tide over the school fund, which was then
insufficient to complete the building under course of erection. Four lamps
were erected to illuminate the public square. Numerous streets and side-
walks were immediately ordered built. Seven dollars and fifty cents were
paid for a corporation seal.
Steps were taken in May, 1870. to macadamize the streets surrounding
the public squire. Hall and Harrison's bids of thirty-seven and a half cents
per cubic yard for the grading part were accepted; then the matter of mac-
adamizing fifty feet wide, at three dollars and twenty cents per lineal foot;
guttering, at thirty cents per lineal foot: depth of work, six inches.
engineer's report.
R. H. Carlton, the engineer in charge, made this report in January, 1871 :
Grading 1.722 yards, at thirty-seven and a half cents. $645.75; guttering
2,017 ^^^^- ^t thirty cents, $605.10: macadamizing 1,516 feet, at $3.20
$4,851.10: high street culvert, $93.15: curbing Sycamore street, $10.00;
change in grade, $1.00; total, $6,206.20.
Of the above amount, the town paid $800.23 and Lawrence county.
$2,453.76: the New Albany railroad paid $754 and the remainder was paid
by owners of realtv. The largest single individual payment was by Dr.
W. A. Foote, $126.56.
In March. 1873. Winstandley & Malott were allowed to put in a set of
Fairbanks scales on the public square.
The same season, a metaled pavement was ordered built on the ea.st side
of the square, fronting lots i. 2. 3 and 4. the pavement to be ten feet wide.
D. C. Campbell contracted to fence the cemetery for $70.50, Samuel Bristow
furnishing the posts at $185.38. The Messick pond was ordered surveyed
and drained in the general cleaning up made in fear of the appearance of
cholera. The contract for building a sewer or drain, with twelve-inch hard
clay pipe, was awarded to Jennings Larter for twenty-nine cents a cubic
yard.
November 5, 1877, a serie*; of resolutions was passed by the town
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. I9I
board, deploring the death of Hon. Oliver P. Morton, in which his public
career was greatly extolled.
In 1878 the liquor license was fixed at $600.
In December, 1879, the Bedford Light Guards assumed the responsibil-
ity of a hook and ladder company, and steps were taken to provide them
with the necessary fire-fighting apparatus. They vvere organized and ac-
cepted by the town board as the Fire Company of Bedford, in April, 188 1.
In 1882 the board appropriated sixty dollars to erect a monument to
the memory of George Carney, who was murdered while serving as marshal.
In 1884, upon petition from more than one-third of the voters, the
question of making the "town" the "city of Bedford" was submitted to the
people. John W. Marshall was the census taker on this occasion, and found
that the place had a population of 2,451, hence an election was called for on
May 12, 1884. That same year four large cisterns were ordered constructed
for the streets, each to contain a capacity of five hundred barrels. These
were to be located on the four corners of the public square and serve as
fire protection to the town.
BEDFORD AS A CITY.
Not until 1889 was Bedford made a city, under the general laws of
Indiana. The exact date of incorporation was July 26. 1889. when it was
divided into three wards.
The mayors who have served Bedford under its city government are :
John B. Thomasson. V. V. Williams. William Day. H. P. Pearson, David Y.
Johnson. J. Hickson Smith. Peter Pillion, who died in office and his place
was filled by J. B. Stipp. Albert J. Fields, the last named elected in 1908.
The present city officers (1913) are: Arthur J. Fields, mayor; Noah
Mullen, treasurer: Joseph E. Pierce, marshal: John D. McMurphy. street
commissioner: James F. Stephenson, clerk: W. E. Clark, city attorney.
The 19 1 2 state reports give Bedford a total \aluation of property (less
exemptions). $3,715,443. Expenditures of the city in 1910, were $70,389:
on hand, January i, 1910, $19,956: taxes that year, $35,963: total receipts
for the year, $96,434.
The reports of the state for 1910-11 gives Bedford as having one
hundred and twelve fire pings or street hydrants. They owned their own
water plant and were using the meter system. There were then five police-
men, and the police department spent that year (1911), $4,228. The firemen
from the volunteer company were then receiving two dollars for each fire
IC)j LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
they were called out to attend to. The fire department's building and equip-
ment was then valued at $4,000.
At present (September. 1913) the fire protection consists of the fire
company, a three-horse combination wagon, and four paid firemen. The
coming year the city will install another fire station in the north end of the
city, where the present appliances will be kept, while the present fire house
will be furnished with a motor engine truck and a complete new outfit.
The city is furnished with water from the White river, whose waters
are filtered in a basin south of the city, and is supplied with power by the
Southern Indiana Power and Light Company. The street lights of Bedford
are now supplied l)y the Indiana State Light, Heat and Power Company,
who also furnish steam heat and gas lights. This corporation purchased the
old Bedford Heat, Light and Power Company's plant in 1912. Bedford now
has fifty-two city blocks paved, equal to four and one-half miles of brick
paving, of an excellent quality.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE BEDFORD STONE INDUSTRY.
\\ ithout doubt the greatest industry of Lawrence county is the stone
industry, and from its magnitude tlie city of Bedford has long since been
styled the "Stone City." But few localities in the entire United States
domain afifords better facilities for quarrying the best of workable building
stone. This stone goes by various names. "St. Louis Limestone" "Bedford
Stone," and "Bedford Oolitic Stone" are among the commercial and geo-
logical terms used in describing these immense deposits of building stone.
Owen, Lawrence and Monroe counties are all underlaid with about the same
grade of stone, with some variations as to hardness and fineness. While
the real development of these valuable quarries does not date back more than
thirty years, the stone from these quarries was worked and known far and
near many years prior to that time.
Among the earliest settlers in this county was that prince of gentlemen.
Dr. Winthrop Foote, of Connecticut, a man well versed in both law and
medicine who invaded the wilds of this county and settled at the old county
seat, Palestine, in 1818, but moved to Bedford when this city became the
seat of justice. He was a firm believer in the future of Lawrence county
and in the possibilities of the stone found here, so lavishly bestowed by the
hand of the Creator. He it was who acquired, by purchase and the "taking
up" of government land, nearly all the sites upon which the most productive
quarries are now located, at least all that were worked a quarter of a cen-
tury ago. He early remarked to a friend that some day they would be
sending that stone to New York city, and was met with the assertion that it
could not be so, on account of there being no way to transport such heavy
commodities so great a distance, but Dr. Foote remarked that there would
be found a way by the time the stone was demanded there.
In 1832 Dr. Foote went to Louisville, Kentucky, and there interested a
stone cutter named Toburn, who returned with him and located at Bedford.
He was probably the first regular stone cutter who ever entered this county.
Among the evidences of his having lived and labored here are numerous
pieces of his handiwork in way of monuments and buildings from stone.
Important and interesting among these is the vault cut from a large boulder
(13)
194 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
which hes in the position it was left by some mighty upheaval, on the eastern
slope of the hill overlooking what is now known as "Blue Hole" quarry,
al)out a mile from the center of Bedford. This vault is known as the Foote
vault. The Doctor had a brother, Ziba Foote, who, while acting as a gov-
ernment surveyor, in 1806, had been drowned, in what is now known as
Foote's Grove pond, and he was buried on its banks. As soon as the vault
was completed the body was exhumed and placed therein, and here also, in
1856, Dr. Winthrop Foote himself was buried. This spot was selected by
the Doctor on account of its being in a quiet spot, away from the rush and
noise of the city life. But things have changed with the march of time and
the wonderful development of the great stone industry, and today number-
less trains of cars rush madly by, upon two lines of railroad. The sound
of the steam channeling machines, steam derricks and stone saw-mill ma-
chinery is ever heard in that locality, but the dead sleep on and heed it not.
THE OPENING WEDGE.
What may be termed the opening wedge to this industry was when
the building of the first railroad, the old New Albany & Salem line, brought
to this county Davis Harrison, a civil engineering expert. He became firm
in the belief that the marketing of this stone was practicable, and when his
railroad work had ended he moved his family here from Kentucky, taking
up his residence in Bedford. Here he made a systematic study of the stone
measures hereabouts, and labored long to interest capital to aid in developing
the quarries. It was not until 1877. when the Dark Hollow Quarry Com-
pany was organized, that his efforts met with any degree of success, al-
though he was interested in several enterprises before that date. His knowl-
edge and careful research made the present success possible.
Nathan Hall was another pioneer in this industry. He. at the sugges-
tion of A'Tr. Harrison, was induced to begin operations directly adjoining
the quarry of what is now styled "Blue Hole." This was long before the
discovery of the modern channeling machines, in fact it was before the Civil
war period, when all the stone had to be blasted out with powder. To Mr.
Hall the credit belongs for first making this stone known and valued by the
outside world, or to give any commercial value to it. He shipped the first
stone out of Bedford on the railroad, hauling it by ox team from the quarry,
about one mile distant from a railroad track. He invented and had made
the wagon for hauling these huge stone upon, now so common. Later he
employed steam power at his quarries and was in direct communication with
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I95
the railroad. In 1881 Mr. Hall sgld his interest to the Hinsdale-Doyle Gran-
ite Company, but the face of his old quarry was left about as he last worked it.
One of the earliest quarries operated was that of John Glover, a mile
and a half south of Bedford. But little stone had been taken out of this quarry
before the Civil war, at which time operations were completely suspended,
and that ended his work. Some of the stone from his quarry, however, are
still to be seen in the earlier l)uildings of Bedford. He used a very primitive
saw for cutting stone with. It reminded one of a large sized wood-saw
operated by two men.
FIRST SHIPMENTS TO CHICAGO.
With the whirling trains of Bedford stone that go whizzing by day
after day now to Chicago, it may be of interest to know that the first ship-
ment was made by the owners of "Dark Hollow Quarry," and was sent to
John Rawle, who had just been appointed agent at Chicago for this build-
ing stone. It was billed to him at about eighty-five cents per cubic foot.
Mr. Rawle had worked on the oolitic limestone in the Portland quarries of
England and knew the good value of this Bedford stone. He at once en-
tered with zeal upon his duty of trying to interest Chicago builders in this
commodity. He fashioned a huge vase cut from this stone which attracted
great attention. He also employed a stone cutter one entire winter cutting
paper weights from Bedford stone which he distributed among architects
and builders the country over. He also contracted to erect the first Bedford
stone building ever gracing the streets of Chicago, the Mandel building on
Dearborn street. The first year this stone was shipped to Chicago there
were only three car loads used there. Contrast that date with the present
era. Then three car loads lasted a whole season, whereas now thousands
upon added thousands of cars go to that city alone annually.
Again, the state and government geologists have done all in their
power to bring the right understanding of this material before the American
builders. From them we are able to draw many clear conceptions of just
what this wonderful stone is and its high value to the world at large.
A carefid examination of oolitic limestone shows that, while it varies
in the nature and arrangement of its particles, its more striking character-
istics are general and permanent. Shells more or less minute — scarcely dis-
cernible to the naked eye — and fragments of shells, cemented by carbonate
of lime, make up the mass. Indeed is the cementing so meager that it is
196 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
scarcely observable even with the aid of an ordinary pocket-glass. This
structure gives this stone the oolitic appearance — hence the name.
It is when we reach the sub-carboniferous area of the state that we
discover the true wealth of Indiana limestone. The formation known as
the St. Louis division or group covers a large area of the state, but it is the
surface rock of a much smaller space, and while outlined in several counties
it is only in Lawrence and Monroe counties that it exists as the surface
rock throughout the entire county. Along the line of St. Louis outcrop
from Putnamville southward to near the Ohio river is found the famous
oolitic limestone. It lies in a narrow strip of country running somewhat
diagonally, from northeast to southwest, a distance of about one hundred
miles, and varies in width from three to fifteen miles. Every indication
seems to be that the oolitic limestone has been deposited in deep sea waters,
filling a basin whose shores are now marked by these lines where the rock is
lightly, une\enly and irregularly bedded and formed of coarser and more
loosely cemented materials than those of the main body of the stone. In
Lawrence county as we pass eastward from her outcrops of most excellent
stone, the struggling edge of the deposit is soon reached, and it takes on a
coarser and looser structure.
If. then, the geologist has hit upon the true scientific theory and oolitic
limestone owes its fine and even grain to a deep sea, still teeming with
minute shell-bearing animal forms, whence came the carbonate of lime that
bound together this innumerable multitude of shells? It seems reasonable
to suppose that the shores of the then prevailing sea were surrounded by
the deposits and rocks of a still older sea of the sub-carboniferous age, and
from these more ancient rocks the water took up in the solution or suspension
the carbonate of lime, which when precipitated along with the animal re-
mains served as a cement to bind together the shells that form the body of
this building stone.
The strata in which oolitic stone is found are homeogenous, equally
strong in vertical, diagonal or horizontal sections. The stone comes from
the quarry so soft as to be readily worked by saw and chisel or planing ma-
chines, while on exposure it hardens to a strength of from ten to twelve
thousand pounds to the square inch, a strength sufficient to sustain the
weight of the largest structure in the world. Its tone, when struck, is a
clear, musical bell-note, indicative of thorough metallic sympathy throughout
the mass. The elasticity of this stone enables it to adapt itself without
cleavage to our changeable climate, where material will be subjected to a
change of from twenty to sixty degrees in a few hours' time.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. I97
PROGRESS AND PRESENT DEVELOPMENT.
It has been the aim of the writer of this chapter to give as clear and
full an account of this Bedford stone industry as the data that is obtainable
by a writer of local history can secure. It is not given to build up one sec-
tion of the state or to tear down any other section dealing in the same com-
modity, though perhaps under another, or even the same name. But be-
fore entering into a description of the present, with a mention, too. of
some of the older quarries of the past decades, it may be well to inform the
reader as to the true chemical analysis of this stone with such a remarkable
reputation.
THE ANALYSIS.
When the state house was built in Georgia the committee in charge had
the state chemist make a test of the quality of this, with other stone, and
the result shows the Bedford oolitic stone in the following constituent parts :
Carbonate of lime 96.04 per cent.
Carbonate of magnesia .72 per cent.
Oxides of iron and alumnia 1.06 per cent.
Insoluble silicates i.i,:; per cent
Chlorides of soda and potash .15 per cent.
Water expelled at 212 degrees F. .10 per cent.
Combined water, etc. .80 per cent.
Total elements 100.00 per cent.
It is possible that with the passing of years the names of some of the
stone operators have been overlooked, though not intentionally, but it is
certain that the following constitutes a large majority of the captains in
this noted industry. Indeed to be connected with sn laudable a work as the
furnishing of building material for great structures is an lionor not to be
overlooked. "Limestone," one writer has said, "has been the material out
of which many of the greatest and most magnificent structures of the world
have been constructed, both in ancient and modern times. The old Egyp-
tian builders used it in the construction of the pyramids, and they have
stood for centuries as monuments to the enduring qualities of limestone.
The English House of Parliament, in which the British lawmakers have
met for more than two hundred years, is constructed of oolitic limestone
from the Portland quarries, whose product, though perhaps the best to be
198 LAW'RENCK AND MONROE COUXTIES, IXniAXA.
found in England, does not compare with that taken from the Indiana
quarries in point of strength and durabihty."
Among tlie important companies operating in this county in 1895, —
eighteen years ago, — as we learn from a publication known as Stone, pub-
published in Chicago, were these :
The Dark Hollow Quarry Company, in 1877, was composed of Col. A.
C. Voris, S. B. Voris, Davis Harrison and R. Rogers. All but one of these
men were new at the stone business and little dreamed of its possibilities.
Their first large contract was to furnish the stone for the Indianapolis state
house. At the end of nine years they had distributed $146,400 among the
stockholders, and purchased much new, improved machinery for their quar-
ries. It was first styled the Dark Hollow Stone Company, and in 1890 it
was sold and went under the name above given.
Hollo well Stone Company. — This was organized in 1878, in the vicin-
ity of Bedford, and ranked first in importance twenty years ago. It had a
name from the ocean on the east to that on the west and from lake to gulf.
They were among the first to employ improved and superior machinery in
their extensive quarries. They began on a small way, with few men, but
the virtues of their stone made them forefront and famous. Its first great
contract was furnishing the stone for the Chicago city hall building in 1882,
when it came into the possession of the Hinsdale-Doyle Granite Company.
Four steam channeling machines and four steam derricks were employed in
1895. Another great contract by this company was furnishing stone for
the immense Mutual Life Insurance Building, the Farmers Trust Company,
Bank of America and Merchants Bank, all of New York City; also the Cot-
ton Exchange of New Orleans, and still later the Vanderbilt mansion of
North Carolina. In the eighties they put in planing and sawing machinery,
then little known to this intlustry. This mill was located a half mile north
of Bedford, and was driven by a hundred-horse-po\ver engine.
Chicago and Bedford Stone Company, known as the "Blue Hole," was
the old Nathan Hall quarry of remote date, just east of the city of Bedford.
It is the pioneer of all the quarries hereabouts. This is the original blue-
stone quarry of Indiana, and today its stone is unsurpassed. W. K. Van-
derbilt's Fifth avenue mansion in 'New York city was from this quarry.
The main building of the Missouri University was from this quarry, also.
The Bedford Steam Stone Works, one of the busiest, most prosperous
plants in the region of Bedford, began business in 1886. Here the finest of
oolitic stone is found in immense ledges. Seven cuts of fine material are
found here. The upper eighteen feet is the finest grade anywhere discov-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 199
ered. The stone for the old custom house at Louisville was shipped from
this quarry. Also the large blue capitals for the Illinois state house.
The C. S. Norton Blue Stone Company was originally organized in 1888,
and commenced operations a mile southwest of Bedford, where they owned
a large tract of land underlaid with excellent blue oolitic limestone. The
trade-mark adopted by the re-organized company, in 1895, was "Royal
Blue Oolitic." This stone takes a polish equal to marble. It has long been
used for ornamental work and monuments. In 1895 the capacity was only<
three car loads per day, but it was soon increased materially. A portion of
the great St. Louis union railway station was from this quarry. Also the
front of the Ne%v York Commercial office.
Perry, Matthews & Buskirk Company took the highest rank in many
particulars, in 1895, of any quarry in this wonderful stone belt. It was
organized in 1889, when two hundred and forty acres were bought in the
bluff ridge region, five miles to the north of Bedford. The company was
not incorporated until 1893. W. N. Matthews was chosen president. The
ledge is more than fifty feet in thickness; is slightly soft at first, but soon
hardens. Ample capital always aided this concern to operate on an extensive
plan. Eighteen years ago they were operating ten steam channel machines,
six steam derricks, four steam drills, three steam pumps and sundry other
machinery. Their annual capacity then was seven hundred thousand cubic
feet. Eighty-five thousand feet were taken out in a single month. The Man-
hattan Life Insurance Company's building of New York city, a splendid
type of modern '"sky-scraper," was from this quarry. Hundreds of other
buildings scattered all over the Union attest the value of the i)roduct from
this company's quarry.
The Peerless Stone Company was organized in April, 1890, with a
capital of $100,000. The quarries are four miles north of Bedford, in about
the center of the oolitic district. Here one sees forty feet of light blufif
stone overlaying twelve feet of blue stone. This stone is within a few feet
of the surface, making it easy of access. The residence of the late John
Sherman, in Washington, D. C, was made from stone from this quarry.
Scores, if not hundreds, of large structures in as many states and territories
have been constructed from the stone here quarried by this company. The
Peerless Stone Company was fitted up with the 1)est of modern stone-work-
ing machinery, propelled by a fifty-horse-power engine. This is another of
the quarries that have made Bedford and Lawrence county famous the
country over for its excellent grade of building stone.
The West Bedford Stone Company commenced its operations in the
200 LAWRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
early spring of 1892. It is located three- fourths of a mile west of the city
of Bedford. Most of the output here is a dark gray Hmestone, suitable for
the construction of massive structures. The residence of Mayor Roach, of
Chicago, was erected from this stone here obtained. It has stood the test of
many years.
The Standard Stone Company was organized in January, 1893, with a
capital stock of $50,000. with A. B. Tressler as its president.' The company
purchased three hundred and twenty-five acres of land, about a half mile
north of the city limits of Bedford. Modern appliances and machinery was
employed from the beginning of their operations. The Bedford Belt rail-
road passes through their lands and thus the product is the more easily and
cheaply removed to main lines for the far distant markets where their stone
is ever in excellent demand. Here both the buff and blue oolitic stone are
found in immense quantities. Stone from these quarries were a part of the
once famous Rawlins Mill and the abutments of the rather ancient bridge
that crosses the river at that point. For nearly seventy-five years these stone
have held the clear tool marks and are in an excellent state of presentation
even at this late day.
The Oolitic Stone Company of Indiana have great quarries fifteen
miles north of Bedford, on the Monon railroad line, where the company in
1895 owned a quarter section of superior stone land. This is a part of the
old David Reed estate and every stone operator knows what marked success
attended this gentleman's efforts in years long since passed. Nearly a score
of years ago the capital stock of this company was $100,000, and the equip-
ments of the plants tliere operated were of the most improved type. Ten
car loads of stone per day were easily taken out there as long ago as 1895.
Stone from here went into the great Auditorium in Chicago, now so famous
in national history. Other immense structures recalled now in which this
stone figured largely were the Criminal Court building and the celebrated
Chicago Public Library; the Coffee Exchange. New York, and the Temple
Beth Synagogue, New York, with a number of buildings in Pliiladelphia,
Boston and other eastern cities.
The Bedford Quarry Compan\-, of which ^^^ J. Tubman, of Chicago,
was formerly president, was incorporated with a capital of $75,000. and at
first they owned forty-eight acres a few miles to the north of Bedford.
Dark blue stone was the specialty at these quarries. None but the best
equipment was allowed place in the plant they installed. Five hundred thou-
sand cubic feet of stone was their annual capacity, twenty years ago. It will
be understood that this quarry is within the famous Dark Hollow district
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 20I
where the stone crops out with bold perpendicular faces, which record plainly
the stand points of streams through the long ages during which they have
been engaged in hewing out of a solid rock their deep valleys. From ten to
twenty-five feet thick, this stone ledge is of a workable grade of superior
building stone. Among the buildings erected from this stone may be named
those erected in the nineties and early in this century, the Catholic cathedral
on Grand avenue, St. Louis, and the Brooks residence in Chicago.
The Bedford Quarries Company (not the same as above) is known
wherever Bedford stone is known, and that is every part of this Union.
The holdings of this giant concern in 1895 comprised nearly one thousand
acres of choice stone land, with expensive, practical and up-to-date machin-
ery to handle immense amounts of stone. They owned the "Hoosier," the
"New Hoosier," "Buff Ridge," "Oolitic No. i," "Oolitic No. 2," and the
"Louisville and Bedford." So well and favorably is this company and
their vast quarries known that it is idle to here enlarge upon their output of
building material. They are situated in the Buff Ridge region, five miles
northwest of Bedford, in a section about one mile wide and three in length.
From forty to sixty feet of solid stone is here found waiting the future
years, for after all the vast tonnage that has already come from these quar-
ries, it seems as if it had not yet been touched by the puny hand of man.
Nearly twenty vears ago the machinery required by this company em-
braced twenty channeling machines, ten steam derricks, all driven by ponder-
ous engines. Here one saw many gangs of saws cutting and shaping into
even, artistic stones a wonderful output. Electricity was the illuminating
agency for the entire works. The number of buildings and monuments, that
have been erected from the product of these quarries is very large, and only
a few can here be enumerated. They are the Emigrant Savings Bank, New
York City; Algonquin Club, Boston; Manufacturers' Club building, Phila-
delphia ; Louisville & Nashville railroad bridge at Henderson, Kentucky, over
the Ohio river; Illinois Central railroad bridge at Cairo; Merchants' bridge,
over the Mississippi at St. Louis; Kansas City & Memphis railroad bridge,
at Memphis; court house at Columbia City, Logansport, and hundreds of
business houses of lesser magnitude.
One of the later additions to the machinery of this plant is the stone-
crushing outfit for crushing stone for railroad and highway purposes. This
was the first company to engage in this growing industry in the country, at
Bedford.
The Achme-Bedford Stone Company, whose quarries are situated three
miles west of Bedford, occupies the original site of one of the original quar-
202 L.WVRENCF. AND MONROE COIXTIES, INDIANA.
ries in this famous section of limestone in Indiana. Several years after
Nathan Hall opened his quarry to the east of Bedford and John Glover began
his operations on the south, another quarry was opened in a small way at
this point by Moses F. and George W. Dunn. Like Hall and Glover's quarry,
this quarry was worked in the old-fashioned and crude manner, and opera-
tions soon ceased without the owners having discovered what an abundance
of excellent stone there existed. Lack of the proper facilities caused these
pioneer operators to become discouraged. Most of the men connected with
this enterprise had no previous experience and the old quarry was after a
time abandoned. It was not until 1890 that the Achme-Bedford company
was organized and secured control of a very large tract of land, including
the site of the old original quarries. This company was formed with John
Rawle as its president and general manager, who had been interested in and
connected with the stone industry from young manhood's days and was very
competent and practical in all of bis methods. He had mastered his calling
in England. He came to America in 1868, but it was not until 1871 that he
first saw the Bedford stone region. Through his expertness he soon won
his way into the management of a quarry here and soon after was made the
Chicago agent, and there spent his time in developing the interests of stone
from this Bedford district. He it was to whom the first car of Bedford
stone was billed at Chicago.
The. state reports for 191 1 -12 stated that there were twenty-one stone
mills in operation in this county at that time. The products of these mills
were then being shipped to various parts of this countiy and Canada. "This
county is also," says the report, "the seat of great cement plants, two of
which are located at Mitchell, and these give employment to several hundred
workmen, in one way and another. In the summer season many car loads
daily of this superior cement go to many parts of the country. The lime-
stone used in the making of this cement is quarried at Mitchell, while the
shale that goes into the cement is shipped from Jackson county, Indiana.
Bedford has one cement mill and is doing an extensive business, so far as
their capacity will admit of."
PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY.
Through the courtesy of one of the Stone Club's secretaries, Roy C
Sowder, we are permitted to insert the following telling figures recently com-
piled by him for this special purpose :
Bedford Stone Company, one mill.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 203
M. F. Brooks Cut Stone Company, one mill.
C. S. Norton Blue Stone Company, one quarry.
Consolidated Stone Company, two quarries, one mill.
J. P. Fait Company, one mill.
East Bedford Stone Company, one mill, one quarry.
Ingalls Stone Company, two mills, one quarry.
Indiana Quarries Company, three mills, three quarries.
Henry Struble Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Indiana Bedford Stone Company, one mill, one quarry.
Stone City Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Bedford Steam Stone Works, one mill and one quarry.
Bedford Stone Construction Company, one mill and one quariy.
Climax Stone Company, one mill.
Furst-Kerber Stone Company, two mills, one quarry.
E. F. Gilberson & Company, one mill, one quarry.
W. McMillan & Son, one mill, two quarries.
Shea & Donnelly, one mill.
Reed Stone Company, two mills, two quarries.
John A. Rowe Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Bedford is strictly a stone city. Here are located twenty-five of the
largest cut-stone mills in the United States, shipping their product into
almost every state in the Union, besides Canada. Cuba and the West Indies.
At least sixteen large quarries supply these mills, besides shipping large
quantities in the rough blocks east to New York and west to San Francisco.
During the summer months, when the stone can be safely quarried and
shipped, at least four thousand men are employed in all the lines of busi-
ness and on the railroad to handle the output, at wages ranging from two to
eight dollars per day. Ten switching crews are needed by the various rail-
roads to handle the shipments.
THE BEDFORD STONE CLUB.
This club was organized in about 1900 by the members of various stone
mill and quarry operators, at Bedford, and in a few years were incorporated.
They had their club room at the corner of H and Sixteenth streets until
recently, when the property was sold and now is the home of the Moose
society. The members of the Stone Club expect to build a substantial home
of their own in the city, in the near future. There are more than fifteen
companies represented in this club, and it has proved of great service, both in
a social and business way.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MISCFXLANEOUS TOPICS.
Under this caption will appear numerous events of interest, not treated
in the special and general chapters :
POPULATION OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
The several United States census enumerations give the following on
the population of Lawrence county: In 1820, 4,116; 1830, 9,334; 1840,
11,782; 1850, 12,097: i860. 13,692: 1870. 14,628; 1880, 18,543; 1890,
19,792; 1900, 25,729; 1910, 30,625.
In the enumeration of 1900 and 1910 the figures, by townships and cor-
porations, was as follows :
1900 1910
Bono township 1.060 1,095
Flinn township 880 823
Guthrie township 1.295 1.056
Indian Creek township 2,356 2,379
Marion township and Mitchell 3.869 6,482
Marshall township 1,854 2,125
Perry township 810 717
Pleasant Run township 2,004 1,769
Shawswick township and City 9-436 12,480
Bedford City 6,115 8,716
Oolitic (town of) 1,079
Spice Valley township and Huron 2,165 1.699
Huron township I97
Total 25,729 30,625
The last federal census gives these figures: Total population in Law-
rence countv, 1910. 30,625; number of males, 15,681; females, 14,598; col-
ored males, 197; colored females, 148; foreign born white, 813: number
dwellings, 6,916; number families, 7,050.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 205
VILLAGE PLATS OF THE COUNTY.
Avoca was platted in the south half of the northwest quarter of section
32, township 6, range i west, July, 1819, by Hayden Bridwell.
Bedford was originally platted on a two-hundred-acre tract in sections
14 and 23, township 5 north, range i west, by the county seat locating com-
missioners, March 30, 1825.
Bono, platted April 4, 1816.
Bryantsville (first called Paris), platted May 28. 1835, by Dr. F. Crooke.
Bartlettsville, platted by Samuel J. Bartlett on the southwest quarter of
the northwest quarter of section 8, township 6, range i east, January 19,
i860.
Dixonville, platted in the center of section 10, township 4, range 2 east,
by Lucy and Sarah Dixon, April 8, 1853.
Erie, platted by Dr. Joseph Gardner, April 29, 1901, on the southwest
quarter of the northeast quarter of section 11, township 5, range i west.
East Oolitic, platted by James D. Farmer, in the west half of section 3,
township 5. range i west, September i, 1900.
Fort Ritner, platted by Michael Ritner, May 29, 1857.
Fayetteville, platted by Ezra Kern, February 6, 1838.
Georgia, platted February 14, 1853, by John and Alexander Case, on
section 12, township 3, range 2 west.
Guthrie, platted January 3, 1866, on the northeast quarter of the north-
west quarter of section 3, township 6, range i west, by Winthrop Rinser.
Heltonville, platted on the west half of the northeast quarter of sec-
tion 26, township 6, range i east, by Andrew Helton and wife, September
18, 1845.
Hancock, platted by Mrs. Martha E. Hancock, on the southeast quarter
of section 11. township 5, range i west, April 18, 1893.
Huron, platted March 15, 1859, on the northeast quarter of section 6.
township 3, range 2 west, by John Tewell and others.
Leesville was platted February 27. 1840, by William Flinn, Sr., and
William Flinn, Jr.
Liberty was platted May 25, 1829, by John Lackey and Silas Beezley.
Lawrenceport was platted May 17, 1837.
Limestone was platted December 11, 1888, by Isaac H. Crim, on section
4, township 5, range i west.
Mitchell was platted September 29, 1853, on section 36, township 4,
206 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
range i west, and on the north half of section i, township 3, range i west, by
John Sheeks and George W. Cochran.
Moore's Hill was platted November 10, 1904, on section 10, township 5,
range i west, by William N. Matthews.
Oolitic was platted by the Bedford Onarries Company, March 23, 1896,
on section 4, township 5, range i west.
Pattonville, platted March 10, 1891, by Enoch Patton, on the northeast
quarter of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 5, town-
ship 5, range i west.
Peerless was platted November 13, 1891, by John Williams, on section
27, township 6, range i west.
Redding was platted by Robert Porter and wife and John R. Nugent
and wife, August 25, 1842, on the southeast of section 15, township 4, range
I west.
Rawlins was platted April 20, 1893, by the Standard Stone Company,
on sections 10 and 11, township 5, range i west.
Springville was platted on section 22. township 6. range 2 west, by
Samuel Owens. July 11, 1832.
Silverville was platted July 26, 1855, on sections 19 and 20. township
5, range 2 west, by Robert C. McAfee.
Sunset was platted June 27, 1905, on section 15. township 5, range i
west, by Euphennia R. Dunn.
Tunnelton was platted by Isaac Newkirk, on section 19, township 4,
range 2 east, August 28, 1859.
Woodville was platted on section 26. township 4, range i west, by Edwin
Wood and wife, December 10, 1849.
Williams was platted May 20, 1889, by Henry Cox, on sections 4 and 9,
township 4, range 2 west.
Zelma, platted May 23. 1890, by Stephen and James Fountain, on the
southeast quarter of section 21. township 6, range 2 east.
STORY OF PALESTINE, THE FIRST COUNTY SEAT.
The following is the substance of an article published several years ago,
in the Indianapolis News, written by Hon. James H. Willard, and may be
relied upon as authentic:
The story of Palestine, the first county seat of Lawrence county, is
romantic and mournful. Since the days when Oliver Goldsmith wrote "The
Deserted Village," a tinge of melancholy reminiscence has surrounded those
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 207
abodes where men had experienced the hope, the disappointments and vicissi-
tudes of life, had made their homes for years and then relinquished them
to silence and deca}^ The story of Palestine is indeed a strange one, for it
is of a town that at one time promised to be a metropolitan city, but was
abandoned by man and reclaimed by nature. Green meadows and forest
trees now occupy its former site and not even a foundation stone tells of a
vanished town.
Palestine was situated on a high l)lufif on the north side of White river,
near in the center of Lawrence county. The conical hill which it surmounted
is so high that the view over many miles of the broken country is magnificent.
The land on which the town was situated, two hundred acres in extent,
was conve>'ed to the newly created county of Lawrence in the early part of
the year 1818 by Benjamin and Ezekiel Blackwell. Henry Speed and Henry
H. Massie, in consideration of the location of the seat of justice on the site.
The site was accepted by the county and the land was laid off by a countv
agent into two hundred and seventy-six lots, surrounding a public square, on
which the court house and jail were to be built. A sale of lots was ordered,
the proceeds of which were to be devoted to the expenses of the new county.
The first sale of these lots was advertised to take place on Mav 25. 1818,
the following newspapers being the mediums employed in giving notice to the
public: The Louisi'ille Correspondent, the Indiana Gazette, the Western
Sun, the Salem Tocsin and a newspaper printed at Madison. Indiana, the
name of which has been lost. Not one of these newspapers, except the
Western Sun. is in existence at the present time.
WANTED TO BE THE CAPITAL. •
About the year 1818 there was great excitement regarding the reloca-
tion of the capital of Indiana, it being evident that Corydon, the first capital
of the new state, was much too far south. The beautiful situation of Pales-
tine on the high bluff, with its proximity to White river, so that it was ac-
cessible to the commerce of those days, impressed land speculators that in
all probability this town would be chosen as the capital of Indiana and as a
result they flocked to the sale of the lots from all quarters and the bidding
of non-resident speculators was spirited and heavy. From all the sale of
lots in Palestine there was realized the sum of $17,826, partly in cash and
partly in notes, and speculation was so rife that many of the first purchasers
made great profits on their investments.
208 I-.^WRKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The following account rendered to the county may give an idea of the
fees of real estate agents at that time :
Laying out 276 lots in Palestine $132.00
Selling 249 lots, bond, etc i3-50
Drawing 432 notes at six and one-fourth cents 27.00
Superintending erection, courthouse 7.00
Taking bonds, advertising, etc 10.00
Taking bond advertising jail ^ 6.00
Clearing public square 4.00
Letting building of stray-pen 2.00
Total $201.50
*******
Immediately after receiving the contract for the court house, the con-
tractor began its erection. It was known that on a certain day in January,
1 819. he was to begin the cutting of the timber to be used for it. In order
that he might have the occasion properly celebrated, he went to a settlement
near where the Valonia now stands, to secure a good supply of whisky.
Some of the 3'oung bloods of the new and ambitious town, knowing that he
would not return until after nightfall and by a road cut through the dense
forests, conspired to get the liquor. One of them was quite tall, was dressed
in a bear skin, with a pair of horns on the top of his head. He met the con-
tractor as he came through the woods, near the river, a little after dusk and,
with awful groans, rushed toward him. The contractor fled. The boys
were drunk for nearly a week, while every able-bodied inhabitant of the young
town was entertained many days by the contractor's tale of his meeting Satan
in the forest and the last, but not the least, result was that the cutting of the
timber for the new court house was celebrated by those who participated in
the ceremony without the customary formalities.
The father of Hon. Joseph A. Wright, afterward governor of Indiana,
cut and laid the stone for the foundation for the Palestine court house. The
governor, in early life, attended court at Palestine with his father, and it is
said that it was here that he acquired the nickname "The Walnut-hiller."
Bv this he was ever after known in his campaigns.
*******
Several stores were opened in Palestine and a carding machine, a cabinet
shop and two tan yards started as infant manufacturing industries. The
town grew and in the course of about four years had a population of between
six and seven hundred, being the seat of commerce for a territory of about
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 2O9
fifty miles in radius. It soon became one of the most flourishing towns in
southern Indiana.
The surrounding forests of poplar, oak and walnut were very dense,
the timber being of the best quality. Lawrence county even to the present time
being celebrated for its fine timber. This gave impetus to the flat-boat in-
dustry and several of the boats, loaded with produce, started from Palestine
each year on their voyage for New Orleans.
Game was plentiful, forming the main culinary resource of the in-
habitants of Palestine during the winter season. Of the hunters of that day,
one reminiscence remains. One winter day a hunter brought in four deer
on a sled to sell to the residents and informed them that all the deer had been
killed by one bullet from his rifle. He found two deer in range and killed
both, recovering his bullet, which was imbedded in the neck of the second
deer. He reloaded his rifle with this bullet and was lucky enough to find
two deer again in range and brought them both down, but lamented that his
lucky bullet had passed through them both and was lost to him. So it ap-
pears that the tales of what happened to a man when he is alone have not
changed much with the years.
Some of the court records of old Palestine are very quaint. In the
March term, 1823, Judge Wick and Associate Justices Field and Blackwell,
pursuing their regular circuit, opened court in Palestine and the following
comment regarding the clerk's entries was ordered spread of record : "Some
improvement in neatness and mechanical execution and technicality, and
conciseness of style, might be made and is earnestly recommended."
To show the ineffectiveness of the admonition, it may be noted that in
the entry of this order there is one interlineation of several words and several
erasures made by drawing the pen over the writing. A new trial was ordered
in one criminal case because "the jury dispersed and mingled with the people
after returning to consult." They had probably been in care of the bailiff
under a shade tree near the court house, instead of being sent to a room.
APPLIED FOR BENEFITS.
One citizen applied for benefits under an act to aid soldiers of the Revo-
lution, and he says in his affidavit that he has "one cow, one yearling, a bed
and household furniture not exceeding ten dollars in value, and a contract
for the value of three barrels of whisky in Kentucky, which it is doubtful if
he ever gets ; and he has eight children scattered abroad in the world."
Dr. Winthrop Foote, who had immigrated from Connecticut and who
(14)
2IO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
was learned both in law and medicine, was probably the leading citizen of
Palestine. He was eccentric in manner, but a man of great mental force and
ability. He was prosecuting attorney and there is a record that says "John
Bailey was fined thirty-seven and one-half cents for assaulting Winthrop
Foote, prosecuting attorney." M the same term is the entry: "Ordered
that W. Foote, prosecuting attorney, be allowed the sum of seventy-five dol-
lars for services during the year," and on the margin is found in Dr. Foote's
handwriting the characteristic indorsement "Rejected."
There was just one case involving the slavery question tried in Palestine,
the first civil case tried in the county seat. The title was "Susannah Witcher
vs. Phillis (a woman of color), recognizance." The evidence was heard and
as, under the law. neither Phillis nor any of her color could be permitted to
testify against Susannah (who was white), the jury had to return a verdict
according to the evidence: "We the jury find Phillis to be the property of
Susannah Witcher."
CHEAP WHISKY.
Joseph Glover was the first sheriff of the county and, being a most
hospitable man. almost kept o])en house during the terms of court. He
owned the first clock e\er l>rought to the county, a fine old wall-sweep in
mahogany case, with brass works. The clock showed the changes of the
moon and the days of the month, a perfect clock, even in these days. It was
the only clock in Palestine for many years.
With whiskv at ten cents a gallon, the temptations were greater in those
days, and on one occasion Sherifif Glover, about night-fall, found one of the
prominent citizens of the county too much under the influence of liquor to
reach his home. The sherifif promptly took him to his own house. In the
middle of the night the unconscious guest woke up in total darkness and
cried out. "Where am 1. Where am I?" and then, pausing, he heard the clock
ticking, and knowing it was the only one in the county, he said, "Oh it's all
right ! Good J^e Glover has taken good care of me, God bless him !" Pales-
tine has passed into the realm of reminiscence, but that same old clock still
ticks away in a modern residence in P.edford, keeping time as perfectly as it
did three (|uarters of a century ago.
\N UNHEALTHFUE SITE.
From the Ijeginning Palestine was very unhealthful. Deadly miasm rose
from tlie river, and malignant fevers prevailed among the inhabitants. This
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 211
alone, in all probability, prevented Palestine from becoming the capital of
Indiana. Judges and lawyers who rode the circuit and attended court there
went into the country at night rather than encounter the malaria in the town
and thereby incurring the danger of being exposed to disease. It is doubt-
ful whether this sickly condition of the town came from the fact that the
river was in front and tanyard branch behind, the miasm of the dense fogs
sweeping across the town from both ways, or whether it was because the
town was built on the site of an old and extensive grave yard of the Indians
or Mound Builders. The town was slightly sandy, and the spring from
which it drew its water supply was just below the old burying ground or
Indian cemetery. Some of these mounds have of later years been excavated
and many curious relics found in them.
After a struggle of seven years, the inhabitants found that their grave
yard was growing faster than the town, and they decided to apply to the
Legislature for relief, and an act was approved February 9, 1825, providing
for the re-location of the county seat.
There was a very bitter feud, traces of wliich remain still in politics,
between the citizens of the north and south sides of the river. The north
side was the stronger numerically,, and finally it was decided to move the
county seat about four miles northeast, away from the stream of water
courses, and the location was made at Bedford.
In September, 1825. it was reported that the public well bad been com-
pleted, the temporar}^ court house erected at Bedford, and the county officers
removed their records'to the new county seat. At the same time, about three-
fourths of the population had al^ancloned Palestine and moved to the new
town, amid jeers, recriminations and abuse from those who chose to still
remain and occupy their old hi^nes. It was several years before those who
remained in Palestine finally al>andoned their houses and moved to Bedford.
The old county buildings were sold at auction. Moses Fell bought the old
court house for forty dollars.
Some citizens removed their dwellings, taking down the log 1)uildings in
Palestine and setting them up again in Bedford, which city today contains
about a dozen of the old log houses which once formed a part of Palestine.
In less than ten years the last resident of Palestine had departed, the
log buildings that composed the town went to deca}- or were sawed up for
fire wood. The lots were sold for taxes, and at last all came into the hands
of one owner, Thomas Dodd, who lives near the site of the old town.
The Bedford branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railway
skirts the hill on which Palestine once st.jod. Gradually the wilderness
212 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
encroached on the site of the abandoned town, and it became a forest of
Lombardy poplars. These trees were finally cut down and the original native
forest trees sprang up in their place. Many of the latter were also removed
and the land turned into meadow, but a grove of native trees crown the hill,
occupying the exact site of the old court house in the center of the town,
whose inhabitants once hoped to make it the capital of a great state. Not a
single trace or vestige of human habitation remains, but if the visitor will dig
a few inches in the earth or on the top of the hill he will find bricks which
formed a part of the old court house of this the first seat of justice of Law-
rence county.
NOTES PRESERVED ON PALESTINE.
From various reliable sources the following has been preserved in con-
nection with the history of old Palestine :
John Brown was appointed the first postmaster there in 1819 and prob-
ably was the only one who held this office there, as he was the first man to
hold the office at Bedford. Robert M. Carlton established himself there as
the county agent in 1818. Andrew Evans was another early settler, as were
Isaac Mitchell. and James Benefield. The latter furnished rooms for the
courts. Samuel M. Briggs, a tanner l^y trade, was one of the first county
treasurers, and worked in the tan yard of Joseph and Wier Glover, which shop
was built in 1819. This was the largest enterprise in Palestine, giving em-
ployment to six workmen. There were twenty-five or thirty vats in this
tannery. The hides were sold chiefly in Louisville. The first store in the
town was opened in the fall of 181 8 by Samuel F. Irwin and Isaac Stewart.
They brought in about eight hundred dollars worth of general merchandise,
which were placed in the hands of Mr. Irwin, Stewart being a non-resident.
In 1 81 9, Patrick Callen also started a small store, selling lots of whisky as
well. Dr. Winthrop Foote located as the first doctor of the new county
seat town. Later he practiced law at Bedford. The first attorney of the
town, or county for that matter, was Rollin C. Dewey, who settled in 1820.
Winston Criuse, who dug the well on the public square, was an early resident.
Henry Powell kept the first inn or boarding house and sold whisky. About
1820, possibly a year later, John and Samuel Lockhart built a large log house
and installed a wool carding mill, which did an extensive business. They
carded on shares, and did the spinning of their share, which they kept for
sale. The first cabinet shop was opened by Ezekiel Blackwell. In the spring
of 1819 the town had about fifteen families, and they were determined to
put on a bold front and have the village of Palestine incorporated, as they
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 213
knew full well that it would sound bigger off East where they sent their ad-
vertising matter. The following election returns were had in the matter :
"Palestine, Monday, March i, 1819.
"At a meeting of the qualified voters of the town of Palestine, Lawrence
county, Ind., agreeably to the first section of an act providing for the incor-
poration of towns in the State of Indiana approved January i, 181 7, we, the
President and clerk of said meeting, do certify that the polls stand thus:
Eleven votes in favor and none against being incorporated.
"John Brown, President.
"William Kelsey, Clerk."
At an election for trustees of the town the following were elected :
Alexander Walker. William Kelsey. Lemuel Barlow. William Templeton and
Stephen Shipman.
One of the early business enterprises of old Palestine, in her palmy days,
is seen by the following certificate :
"We the undersigned do certify that Nathaniel Vaughn is of good
moral character, and do believe it would be for the benefit and convenience
of travelers for the said Vaughn to be licensed that he may retail spirituous
liquors and keep a house for public entertainment in Palestine.
"Palestine, September 4, 1819.
"Vingand Pound James Gregory
"Isaac Farris Thomas Fulton
"John Anderson John Sutton
"William Templeton James Conley
"Willis Keithley Weir Glover
"John J. Burt Joseph Glover
"Samuel Dale G. G. Hopkins."
"Ezekiel BlackM'ell
The number of small streams in Lawrence county raised the necessity
of an easy and quick way to transport goods across them, in the commercial
intercourse of one part of the county with another, and also to facilitate the
traveler. Bridges were crude and unsafe, so numerous ferries along White
river and Salt creek were constructed and form an interesting note in the
early history of the county.
' On White river, at the eastern boundary, Sinclair Cox kept a ferry near
_'I4 I.AWREXCK AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the present site of Fort Ritner. A man by the name of Dixon came into
possession of this ferry later, and it became known for a long time as Dixon's
ferry. It was in section 22, township 4 north, range 2 west. Loiiden's
ferry, at the town of Bono: Beck's ferry, near Tunnelton; one at the mouth
of Fish creek, near Lawrenceport ; William Fisher's ferry, below Lawrence-
port ; Ezekiel Blackwell's, at Palestine, during the time that town was the
county seat; the ferry of Levi Nugent, in section 3, township 4 north, range I
west: Drury Davis's ferry, at the mouth of Leatherwood creek in 1826; one
at the mouth of Salt creek owned by Robert Woods in 1823; the Fields
Feny, a short distance below Woods' : Taylor's, Dawson's and Green's were
among the important ferries established along White x'wtr. A bitter feud
existed between Woods and Fields, caused by the close proximity of their
ferries. One night Woods' boat was burned, but the owner immediately
built another and continued his trade. Two men. Lackey and Taylor, were
sent to the state prison for the deed.
On Salt creek there were also many ferries. On the Levi Bailey land a
man named Lee kept a ferry for a long time : another where the Rawlins mill
stood: Dougherty's ferry west of Bedford: these were perhaps the most
important.
Dougherty's ferry was situated where the bridge is on the Fayetteville
road. There was an Indian trace here in the early days, crossing the western
part of the countv to a government supply store, kept by a man named Bigger.
This was called Bigger's trace, and passed near Davis Lick creek in the north-
ern part, then south a mile east of Fayetteville, crossing the river where Tay-
lor's fern- was afterward located.
TOWNS AND HAMLETS IN LAWRENCE COUNTY.
The following are the towns and hamlets within this county, at this date,
1913:
Armstrong. Avoca, Becks, Bedford, Bono, Bosler, Bryantsville, Buddha,
Bartlettsville, Buff Ridge, Carr, Coxton, Dark Hollow, Dodd, Fayetteville,
Flatwood, Ft. Ritner, Georgia, Guthrie, Heltonville, Hoosier, Huron, Indiana,
Keach, Lehman, Lawrenceport, Logan, Miles Standish, Mitchell, Oolitic,
Peerless, Pinhook, Prosser, Reed, Rock Ledge, Rivervale, Sand Pit, Shaws-
wick, Silverville, Springville, Thornton, Tunnelton, Wallner,' Williams,
Yockey, Zelma.
These towns, aside from Bedford, Mitchell, Heltonville, Oolitic and
Tunnelton, are under two hundred population, and many are mere hamlets of
no consequence historically.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 21 5
THE SARAH SCHAFER MURDER.
On Friday night, January 21, 1904, occurred one of the most brutal
and wanton crimes ever committed in Lawrence county. On that night at
six-thirty o'clock, Sarah C. Schafer, a talented and pretty teacher in the Bed-
ford high school, left her boarding house to return to her room, a few blocks
distant. Her route lay north on Lincoln avenue, and as a cold drizzle of rain
was falling, she shielded herself with her umbrella. At an alley on the west
side of the street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, she met her
murderer. Evidence has been conclusive that she was stunned by a blow on
the head, the instrument being a piece of brick, and then dragged nearly sixty
feet up the alley to a shed, a cab shelter. There, presumably to prevent her
struggles and outcry, she was murdered. Early the next morning, the owner
of the cab housed in the shed found the young woman's body, but no evi-
dence other than her cast-off umbrella, a few strands of dark hair in her
clutched fingers, and some smaller details, all of which availed nothing.
The motive, the exact character of the deed, and the identity of the
murderer have never been learned, nor can the known facts of Miss Schafer's
life and her relations with her fellows justify any tenable theory. She was a
religious, straight-forward, conscientious girl, of simple habits, and loved
sincerely by all of her acquaintances. The truth will probably never be un-
covered, for had the act been the work of a degenerate, a transient madman,
his motive would have been too clear, and with the twelve hours' time he
had to escape, could have been hundreds of miles from the spot, his conscience
protected bv the depravity of his mind. There was no cause, no premeditated
reason, for Sarah Shafer's murder; it was an act conceived on the moment,
and any other woman who might have chanced along the alley entrance that
night instead of Miss Schafer would undoubtedly have suffered the same fate.
MONROE COUNTY, INDIANA
CHAPTER I.
GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY.
That the reader may have a general idea of the surface and geological
formation of the county, it will be well to take up such natural features by
townships as follows :
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
Perfy township affords the best soil within the county. Clear creek, a
clear, fine stream, having its source in the township, together with its many
small branches, has heavy deposits of mingled silica and alluvium, fitted for
the best production of cereals and grasses, especially for timothy and clover.
No better soil is found for wheat, but corn, for the lack of certain elements,
does not thrive so well, though parts of the township have deep, black soil
stich as is found in the great corn belt (if Illinois. Springs abound in the
township, some being sulphur.
BKAN BLOSSOM TOWNSHIP.
This portion of Monroe county is rough and stony. Outcroppings of
fine stone were discovered by pioneers and as the county developed it was
found that great wealth was their inheritance. No finer quality of lime-
stone can be found in Indiana. This is of the Warsaw division of the Lower
St. Louis group, aftd has taken the name of American marble, which is sus-
ceptible of high polish. See township history concerning this stone indus-
try, as well as the chapter on Stone Industry.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
This section of the county possesses interesting features as it came
from Mother Nature. Here one finds the bluffs, with soil of semi-sterility;
_>|,S I AWKIONCl': AND MONKOIC COl' NTI ICS, INIXANA.
tlkii llu' IdwiT lands, wlicri' llir lainicr rcai)s his best har\csts; there are also
(iml)c'i- tracts ol ,L;irat \n\uv. \'\n- lourr land is a rich (.■onihincd soil of sand,
linio, clay and alhninm. An ahundancr of excellent lime rock is I'onnd near
the snrl'ace, and has lor \ears heen a source of mnch re\enne to the owners
and workers of the vast qnairies. Many years since the state .geologist
slated that "The oolitic linn'slone of Monroe connty, hy reason of its acces-
sihilitx and other \alnahle considerations, is oi vast importance to the mater-
ial i)ros])eril\ and proj^iess of the state oi Indiana." This stone extends,
with other i^radi's of stone, from sixty liw to thri'c hundred and sevenl\-li\e
I'eet in depth I'roni the snrfate.
\AN liliRI'lN TOWNSllll'.
I li'ie the surface is less rolhn^ than in other portions of the connty.
It is well watered and drained, howe\er. Several small streams take their
rise heri', ,nid lu'nce we find numerous cooling' springs ihroughont the do-
main, that make i;lad the heart i)\ man and heast. Originally there were
found large hodii-s of limhi'r, including holh species (^f walnnt, hard and soft
maple, oak, chestnut, elm, hect'h, sycamore, all kinds of poplar, cherry, gnm,
sassafras, dog wooti, spice wood, etc., hut long since this liinher has been
cut away too n)uch, in fact. In the northwestern ])art is a large natnral
ca\e; its depth, which has often heen tested, is yet not fully known. It
Covers at least a nule in extent. Mere man\ lowrs o\ nature and geologists
lind pleasun- in maknig wonderful explorations, and from its caxerns have
heen taken man\' rare and \aluahK' mineral collections. It is known as
I'uilt's Cave. ( )nce a party of students hecame bewildered and tlnally lost
in this ca\e, and had it not been for the teams the\ dro\e out there having
been seen b\- a neighbor, who rescut'd them, no ti'lling what might ha\e been
their fate.
IN'niAN CKKF.K rOWNSltll'.
Mere one Ihids one of the richest sections for soil of producing qnalities
to be found in Monroe connty. There is more loam in the soil than is
usnally found in any Indian,! connty. Indian creek and Clear creek water and
drain this tmvnshii). ('hester sandsttMie appears at the sm-face, and
consists of gra\- and light red colored laminated stone, irregularly imbedded.
The iron deposit on section (» and |)arts of 7 is unusually rich and heavy, yet
hardly rich enough to vviM'k, when there are bettei- mines to dr.aw from. The
main stone of the township lies next nnilerneath the sandstone and belongs
I.AWKKNCK ANP MDNKOK COl N IIFS. INHIANA. J 1 0
to llic I'pivr Si. l.ouis group oi" linu-stono. lliorc Ih-iul; a total ot" sixty six
foct. r.oth saiul aiul liiucstouc arc t'ouuil Iuto in j^iA-ai quaiiiiiii-s. I'lu- iron
luriiislu-s tlio sprinj^^s oi litis siA-tioii of Monroe wilh pU-nis ol oxci'lK-nt
blooil lonii.-.
CiavAK OKl-l-K low N still'.
'riiis, ai^ricultuiallN spcaknii;, is oiu-, it' not ilio Ik-si, t'or mMicial use in
Monrot.' county. It lias an alniiulaiui' ot low laiuls and lies eliu'll\ ni ilu-
forks of Clear aiul Salt creeks. The soil is exeelleni lor all kinds ol' eiops
grown in this latitude. Tlie geoloi^ical tonnation is re\ealed in ipianies
along- the old .\e\\ All.anv railway n-lil-ol w av, \t llanodslMir- die ele
vation is 510 t'eel al»o\e >ea lexel, and at .^iimln ille. 710 t'eet. X'oriliwesl
of BkH)ininglon, the iii^hesi ele\ation i-- SS ; ieet. Near Snnllnille the
Keokuk group laps onto the knohstone -^lrata. Wondeit'iil gcologicil speei
mens are taken Iroiu this section oi ilie coiint\. \ snip alonu; the west side
oi this township is co\ered with the Si. 1 oiiis liiiiestone. Hence the town-
ship has three distinct strata oi sione. all excellciu ,iiid woikahlc,
w \siii xo rox row xsii ir. ■ .
Here one originalh toiind exeelleni l;iowi1i ot' linihei. iiincli ol' which,
with passing years, has heen ntili/ed l>\ the niiineroiis nulls. The surt'ace
rocks oi the townsliii> helong lo the knohstone and Ixeoknk groups. There
are faint traces of the action t^i the glaciers.
i:r X rox low xsu ir.
'Tins pan ol' Moiiioe coiint\ is, generalh speaking, longli j.iid sion\,
with iiKin\- sleeji lulls and iiiige hlufls. .md is ciU l)\ iiiinieroiis r.i\ iiies, wlieie
small streams oi pure water liiul llieir cool heds. i,'Ia\ is loo coniinon lo
make it a lirst-class piodiicing township; e\ en on the lower lands this holds
true, ^'et within the township max he seen a goodix niimher ni line piodnc
ing farms, well kept and paying. It is heller adapted to gra.^mg. (\oo:\ stone
is found here, as nearl\- e\ei\ place in the county the home ol siipciior
stone for conimercial and hiiilding purposes Iraces oi more s.iln.ihle miiiei
als, such as copper, gold and iron, are also found, hiil iioi m pa\ iiig tpiaii
titles.
220 T.AVVRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
SALT CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Here there is much good soil, but it is scattered here and there in small
tracts. The lower lands and slopes are best for farm purposes. Hill-
side land is usually found the best for cultivation. The higher lands are
usually seeded down to profitable pasture grasses. Good springs of hard
water abound everywhere, while in the western portion are seen fine sulphur
springs, excellent for medicinal uses. An abundance of good stone can be
had easily. Lime was manufactured in the seventies and eighties in great
amounts in this township.
POLK TOWNSHIP.
This portion of Monroe county is generally very rough in its topog-
raphy, and the soil none the best. Other portions are more fertile and
rolling, containing numerous springs of excellent water, with a soil practi-
cally inexhaustible. Much of the land here, owing to its poor grade, was
not entered from the government until the seventies. But with sturdy,
scientific work the domain has come to be very valuable in these days of high-
priced lands.
MARION TOWNSHIP.
Some of the finest, most valtiable farms in the county are to be viewed
here. It is generally a rolling upland, largely of a clay, while along the
numerous streams there may be seen rich alluvial soil, mingled with sand.
The best source of wealth in early years was the fine timber. Fine springs
everywhere are the rule here. They are pure and almost ice cold. The for-
mation is six feet of clay, seven feet of dark blue limestone, one foot of
bluish gray clay, and five feet of light gray Keokuk limestone. Near Monroe's
mills, on Hacker's creek, the bed and banks are thickly strewn with granite
boulders. A mile east is found knobstone one hundred feet thick. On
Honey creek black sandstone (magnetic iron ore), similar to the gold-bearing
sand of Bear creek, Brown county, may be seen. Granite boulders strew
the ground. Black sand containing gold deposits is found in Wolf creek,
which rises in Brown countv.
CHAPTER II.
INDIAN OCCUPANCY AND FIRST WHITE MEN.
It IS not the provinct; of this work to treat what is termed the Pre-his-
toric race, who possibly inhabited this portion of the country long years
before the territory was held by the North American Indian tribes, but in
compiling the annals of any county, in any state in this Union, it is of inter-
est to the reader to know something concerning the Indian occupancy of the
county, or group of counties, to be written about, hence the following brief
account of the tribes who once held as their own the lands within what is
now Monroe county, Indiana.
The territory now comprising Monroe county was formerly the rightful
property of the Miamis. The same is also true of all Indiana, for at the
treaty of Greenville, Ohio, in 1795, Little Turtle, or Mish-e-ken-o-quah, the
head chief of the Miamis, and one of the most brainy and famous Americans
of any tribe that ever lived, stated to the government commissioners that the
Miamis formerly owned all the territory a\ ithin the following "bounds :
From Detroit south to the Scioto river and down the same to the Ohio.
then down the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash, thence up the same to near
Covington, thence north to Lake Michigan, thence east to Detroit. Soon
after the war of the Revolution, the efforts to colonize the lands west 'of the
Atlantic coast were so extensive and persistent that the natives inhabiting
those regions were forced back into the wilderness upon the territory of
their western brethren., and thus the broad domain of the Miamis was in-
vaded by homeless natives of various trilies. who were given tracts of terri-
tory upon which to hunt and live. At what time the Delawares. Shawnees,
Wyandots, Pottawatomies, Piankeshaws, ^^'eas, Kickapoos, etc.. gained a
footing upon the soil of Indiana cannot be stated for a certainty, but there
seems no doubt that Little Turtle stated the truth when he claimed all the
lands of the above Ijounded territory as the former domain of his people,
the Miamis. It is possil)le that some of the trilies named above (xxupied
portions of Indiana before the Revolutionary war. The former home of the
Delaw'ares was on the Delaware river, and later in western Pennsylvania and
eastern Ohio, and still later in Indiana. The original home of the \V'yandots
222 LAWRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
was in Canada and later in Michigan and northern Ohio, and still later in
southern Indiana. The Shawnees were of Southern origin, and also occu-
pied a section of country on the Wabash about Lafayette. The Pottawat-
omies seem to ha\e owned territory in northern Illinois, southern Wiscon-
sin, and to have gained from the Miamis at some early period by invasion
or conquest much of the land north of the Wabash. The Weas, Kickapoos,
Piankeshaws and Paincashaws seem to have owned lands along the western
boundary of the state. At the Fort Wayne treaty, September 30, 1809, the
second article was made to read as follows : "The Miamis explicitly ac-
knowledge the ecjual rights of the Delawares with themselves to the country
watered by the White river. But it is also to be clearly understood that
neither party shall have the right of disposing of the same without the con-
sent of the others, and any improvements which shall be made on the said
lands of the Delawares or their friends, the Mohicans, shall be theirs forever."
As to the territory of Monroe county, it seems to have been on the
boundary line l^etween the lands of the Delawares and that of the Pianke-
shaws, so tliat it was the home and hunting ground of the three tribes as
well as the Miamis.
CESSION TREATIES.
The lands now composing Monroe county were not obtained from the
Indians wholly at one time. The old Indian boundary which extends from
near Gosport in a southeasterly direction, leaving the country on section 26,
Benton township, divides two important Indian cessions. The territory of
Monroe county south of that division was part of Harrison's Purchase, ob-
tained from the Indians by the treaty of Fort Wayne, September 30. 1809,
and all of Monroe county above that treaty line was part of the New Pur-
chase, obtained from the Indians by the treaty at St. Mary's, Ohio, October
2 to 6, 1 81 8. As Monroe county was organized before the last named treaty
was effected, it will be seen that all the present county north of the Indian
boundary was not at first a part of the county. The exact boundary of the
countv when first formed will lie seen from the act creating the county,
which act is quoted further on in this work.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF WHITE MEN.
The survey of lands in this county, south of the Indian boundary, was
executed in the fall of 181 2, with Arthur Henrie and William Harris as
government surveyors. All that portion to the north of this Indian bound-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 223
ary was not surveyed until 1819 by Thomas Brown and J. Hedges. There
was no land thrown open to the public until 18 16, when many entries were
made. None were entered before September, 181 6, and all were within
what is now styled the civil townships of Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Van
Buren, Richland, Bloomington and Bean Blossom. Several tracts were
entered by speculators, but, generally speaking, the land was taken up by
actual settlers, or by those who at once sold to actual settlers.
CHAPTER III.
ORGANIZATION OF iMONROE COUNTY.
January 14, 1818, was the date on which the act authorizmg the or-
ganization of Monroe county was signed, hence from that day and date
ah legal matters within the county must conform to such period, for it was
then that the hrst foundation stones of a civil organization were laid by the
General Assembly of the state of Indiana. The act reads as follows :
"An Act for the Formation of Monroe County Out of the County of
Orange :
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of
Indiana, that from and after the loth day of April next, all that part of the
county of Orange enclosed in the following bounds shall form and constitute
a new county : Beginning on the line of Orange and Jackson counties where
the line dividing townships 6 and 7 crosses the same; thence west with
the last mentioned line to the line dividing ranges 2 and 3 west of the second
principal meridian ; thence north with said range line to the Indian bound-
ary; thence southeastwardly with the said boundary line of Orange and
Jackson counties ; thence south with the same to the beginning — to be known
and designated l\v the name and style of Monroe. And the said county of
Monroe shall enjoy all of the rights, privileges and jurisdictions which to
separate counties do or may properly belong or appertain.
"Section 2. John Penicks and Jonathan Jones, of Orange county;
Daniel Connor, of Daviess county: David Fonts, of Washington county,
and Samuel Burcham, of Jackson county, be, and they are hereby ap-
pointed commissioners for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of jus-
tice in Monroe county, agreeably to an act of the Assembly, entitled 'An act
fixing the seat oi justice in all new counties hereafter laid ofif." The com-
missioners aliove named shall convene at the house of Abner Blair, of the
said new county, on the first Monday of .April next, and then proceed to dis-
charge the duties assigned them by law.
"Section 3. It shall be the duty of the sheriff of the said new county
to notify the above named commissioners, either in person or in writing,
of their said appointment and of the time and place at which they are re-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 225
quired by this act to meet, at least six days previous to the day appointed
for their meeting, and the said sheriff shall be allowed a reasonable com-
pensation for his services out of the hrst money in the treasury of the said
county of Monroe to be paid as the county claims usually are.
"Section 4. The board of county comnnssioners of said new county
shall, within twelve months alter the permanent seat of justice shall have
been established, proceed to erect the necessary public buildings thereon.
"Section 5. Until suitable accunimodations can be had (in the opinion
of the circuit courtj at the seat of justice for said county, all the courts
which by law become necessary to be held at the county seat shall be holden
at the house of Abner Blair aforesaid, or at any other place in the same
neighborhood to which the circuit court may, for the purpose of getting
better accommodations, think proper to adjourn to, after which time the
said courts shall be adjourned to the seat of justice established as aforesaid.
"Section 6. The agent to be appointed for the county of Monroe shall
reserve m his hands ten per centum out of the net proceeds of the sales of
lots, which may be made at the seat of justice of said county for the use of a
county library, which sum, or sums, of money so reserved shall be paid by
said agent or his successor m office over to such person or persons as may
be authorized to receive the same, in such manner and \\ ith such install-
ments as may be directed by law. This act to take effect from and after its
publication in print." (Approved January 14, 181 8.)
The first election for the newly created county was held under super-
vision of the sheriff who had been appointed, in the person of John W.
Lee, commissioned by the governor of Indiana. This election took place in
1818, but no records were preserved permanently, hence details cannot be
here made use of, interesting though such records might be. It is known
that at this first election the following officials were elected : Bartlett Wood-
ward. Michael Buskirk and James Parks, county commissioners ; William
Love, county clerk; he was also auditor; Chesley Bailey, recorder; Joseph
Berry and Lewis Noel, associate judges.
The first "court house" was the residence of Abner Blair, but Bloom-
ington was immediately laid out as the county seat and a log court house
was soon erected. The county seat locating commissioners, appointed by the
governor and Legislature, met and deliberated, and finally submitted the
following report of their work to the first county board of commissioners :
"To the Honorable Board of Commissioners for the County of Monroe:
We, the undersigned commissioners, appointed by the act of the last Gen-
(15)
226 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
eral Assembly, for fixing the permanent seat of justice in and for said
county, having met agreeable to the above recited act, and after being duly
sworn, proceeded to business as the law directs in such cases, to receive dona-
tions from persons offering lands to fix the county seat on. and after exam-
ining the same and taking into contemplation the future as well as the
present weight of the population, together with additions and divisions that
may take place hereafter, do agree that the southwest quarter of section 33,
in range i west, township 9 north, is the most eligible and convenient place
for the permanent seat of justice for said county, and have accordingly
purchased the same of D. Rogers, at one thousand two hundred dollars; also
have purchased one hundred and fifty acres out of the northeast quarter of
section 32. of Robertson Graham, for nine hundred dollars, in the same
range and township above mentioned, the said Robertson Graham reserving
the balance of the above described quarter section of land to himself in
the northeast corner of said quarter section of land, beginning at the north-
east corner and running south twenty poles, thence west eighty poles,
thence north twenty poles, containing ten acres.
"Given under our hands and seals this irth day of April. 1818.
"David Fouts,
"Samuel Burcham,
''Jonathan Jones,
"John Perkins,
"Locating Commissioners."
formation of townships.
At the first session of the board of county commissioners the following
townships were laid off as civil sub-divisions of Monroe county :
Bloomington Township.— Beginning at the corner of sections 18 and
19. where they intersect the line dividing ranges t and 2 west: thence north
on said range line to the boundary line; thence southeast with said line to
where the Jackson line intersects the same ; thence south of the Jackson line
to the middle of fractional township 8; thence through the middle of town-
ship 8 to the place of beginning.
Bean Blossom Township. — Beginning at the line dividing ranges i and
2 west, at the corners of sections 13 and 14. where they intersect the same;
thence north on said line to the boundary line; thence northwest on the
boundary' line to the northwest corner of Monroe countv ; thence south on
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 22/
the Daviess county line to the middle of township 8; thence through the
middle of the township to place of beginning.
Indian Creek Township. — Beginning at the corner of Bean Blossom
and Bloomington townships, on the line dividing ranges i and 2 west;
thence south on said line to the line uf Lawrence county; thence west on
said line to where it intersects the county line of Daviess ; thence north on
said line to the corner of Bean Blossom township; thence on the line of the
last mentioned township to the place of beginning.
Clear Creek Township. — Beginning at the corners of the townships in-
terlocked on the line dividing ranges i and 2 west; thence south on said
line to the countv line uf Lawrence ; thence north on said line to the place
of beginning.
Granville Ward was appointed inspector of elections in Bloomington
township : John Cutler, in Bean Blossom township ; James Trotter, in In-
dian Creek township, and John Storm, in Clear Creek township. Elections
were held in the townships just enumerated on May 9 for two justices of the
peace in each, the elections ordered to be held at the following places : In
Bloomington township, at the house of David Rogers ; in Bean Blossom
township, at the house of Coleman Peets : in Indian Creek township, at the
house of John Berry; in Clear Creek township, at the house of Thomas
Graham. The above were Monroe county's original tow^nships.
Lamb township was organized in May. 1821. in the New^ Purchase. Its
bounds were fixed thus : Beginning at the old Indian lx)undary line, where
the line of township 10 intersects the same; thence east on the line of town-
ship 10 until it intersects the meridian line; thence north with said line to
the southeast corner of township 13; thence west on the line between town-
ships 12 and 13 until it intersects the said boundary line: thence to the be-
ginning. Subsequently, this tow-nship composed the southwestern portion
of Morgan county, and derived its name from old Mr. Lamb, who settled
in Lamb's Bottoms, that county, in 18 19. before it was a county. At the
same date Walnut Creek township was created or erected, as the record has
it. Its bounds were fixed thus : Beginning at the northeast corner of Lamb
township on the meridian line; thence north on said line to the northwest
corner of township 15 north; thence west on the line dividing townships 15
and 16 until it intersects the boundary line; thence southeast on said bound-
ary line until it intersects the line of Lamb township. This town.ship com-
posed the northwest portion of Morgan county.
At the same session of the commissioners' board, Raccoon township
228 LAWRENCE AND iMONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
was created and was given the following bounds : All of Wabash county
north of Walnut Creek township. The Legislature had attached all this
territoiy to Monroe county. Reuben Fullen was appointed inspector for
Lamb township and Samuel Rogers the same for Walnut Creek township.
March i, 1825, it was ordered that "'a township be laid off in the north-
east corner of the county, to be known by the name of Jackson, and desig-
nated by the following bounds, to-wit : Beginning at the northeast corner
of said county, thence west eight miles to the meridian line; thence south
to the line dividing townships 8 and 9, thence east eight miles to the county
line; thence north on said line to the beginning."
The election was held the last Saturday in April, 1825, at the house of
Banner Brummett. Then a strip on the west side of Brown county, three
miles in width, was a part of Monroe county.
In May, 1825, Salt Creek township -wsls created. It began at the south-
east corner of Monroe county ; thence west to where the meridian line inter-
sects the same ; thence north on the meridian line to where the comer of
townships 8 and 9 intersects the same; thence east on the line dividing said
townships 8 and 9 to wliere the same intersects the county line ; thence south
on said line to place of beginning. Elections were held at the house of
Boston Bails. John Pollard and Ezekiel Hendricks were appointed fence
viewers, and George Todd and Solomon Butcher, overseers of the poor.
ANOTHER CHANGE IN TERRITORY.
In July, 1828, it was ordered that all the territory attached to Monroe
county (on the east), by an act of the Legislature of 1827-28, should be at-
tached to the townships of Salt Creek and Jackson, as follows : Beginning at a
point on the line dividing townships 7 and 8, range 3 east, where the line divid-
ing sections 31 and 32 intersect the same; thence north to the line dividing
townships 8 and 9 ; thence west to the former county line on Monroe county ;
thence south to the line dividing townships 7 and 8; thence east to the place
of beginning — such territory to form a part of Salt Creek township. Also,
beginning at the northeast corner of Salt Creek township, as above en-
larged; thence north to the line dividing Johnson and Bartholomew coun-
ties ; thence west to the northeast corner of Monroe county ; thence south to
the northern boundary of Salt Creek township, thence east to place of be-
ginning. Such territory was to form a part of Jackson township. The ter-
ritory thus attached to Salt Creek and Jackson , townships now constitutes
much of the western half of the present county of Brown.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 229
Two new townships were erected in Monroe county in July, 1829, as
follows :
Washington Township.^ — Beginning at a point on the meridian line be-
tween townships lo and ii north; thence west with said line dividing town-
ships ID and II aforesaid to the line dividing ranges i and 2 aforesaid to
Bean Blossom creek; thence in an eastern direction with said creek to the
meridian line; thence north with said line to place of beginning.
Richland township (the other newly made). — Beginning at a point
where the line dividing ranges i and 2 west intersects the line dividing town-
ships 9 and 10 north; thence west with said line last mentioned to the Owen
connty line; thence south with said last-mentioned line to a point where the
line dividing sections 18 and 19, in township 8 north, range 2 west, inter-
sects the same; thence with said line last mentioned to the range line between
ranges i and 2 west ; thence with said range line to place of beginning.
At the January, 1830. meeting of the commissioners" board, it was
ordered "That all territory attached by legislative enactment to the county
of Monroe subsequent to the original formation of townships therein be and
is hereby attached to and included and shallcompose parts of .said townships
in the following manner : By extending the boundary lines of the town-
ships which run in a direction perpendicular to the county boundary entirely
thereto, and thereby attaching to the respective townships all such territory
as lies adjoining thereto."
By petition of seventy-five citizens, the townships of Perry was formed
in May. 1830. Its boundaries were fixed as: Beginning at the line dividing
sections 12 and 13, township 8 north, range i west; thence west along said
line to the west line of said township 8 north, range i west ; thence south to
the line dividing sections 6 and 7. township 7. range i west : thence east on
.said line of .said township to place of beginning. An election was held at
the old Clearwater place at the home of Benjamin Kenton.
In May, 1833, on petition of Jacob Romans and others, Jackson town-
ship was divided and Benton township was organized from a part thereof as
follows : Jackson to be divided into two portions by the line dividing ranges
I and 2 east, the eastern portion to retain the name of Jackson and the west-
ern portion to be known as Benton township, in honor of Thomas H. Benton.
United States senator from Missouri.
Van Bnren township was formed in ^larch. 1837, and was to comprise
all and no more than congressional township 8 north, range 2 west.
Salt Creek township was divided in September. 1840. and Polk town-
230 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
^ship created as follows: Commencing in the bed of Salt creek on the line
dividing township 7, range i west and range i east ; thence due south on said
township line to the count}- line ; thence due east to the southeast corner of
the county; thence north on the county line to Muddy Fork or Salt creek,
or where the same crosses the county line ; thence down said stream to the
main Salt creek; thence down said stream to place of beginning. An elec-
tion was ordered held at the house of John Todd, at Big Springs, with
Peter Norman as inspector.
MORE TERRITORY ATTACHED TO MONROE COUNTY.
By legislative act, dated December 31, 1821, all of Monroe county-
lying west of White river was attached to Owen. The second section of this
act reads as follows ; "All that part of Monroe county lying west of the
White river be and the same is hereby attached to Owen county, and that all
suits, pleas, plaints, actions and prosecutions whatsoever shall be conducted
in the same manner as if no change had taken place." Section 3 of this act
reads as follows: "So much of the New Purchase as is contained in the
following boundary, to-wit: Beginning on \A'hite river where the line divid-
ing the townships 10 and 11 north crosses the same; thence east with said
line to the corners of sections 4 and 5, township 10 north, range 2 east;
thence south to the Monroe county line, shall form and constitute a part of
Monroe county." Jt will be observed that this section attached to the county
all of the present county north of the old Indian boundary, together with a
strip three miles wide no\\- a part of Brown county. By an act of the Legis-
lature approved January 16, 1828, the following territory was attached to
Monroe county : Beginning at a point on the line dividing townships 7 and 8,
where the line dividing sections 31 and 32 intersect the same; thence north
with the last mentioned line to the line dividing the counties of Johnson and
Bartholomew ; thence west with said line to the northeast corner of Monroe
county ; thence south to the line dividing townships 7 and 8 ; thence east with
the last mentioned line to the place of beginning."
CHAPTER IV.
EARLY SETTLEMENT — GENERAL HISTORY.
The Statement of old Colonel Ketchum, who settled in the northwest
corner of Clear Creek township in 1817, shows that he believed the first white
settler within Monroe county to have been David McHolland. Mr. Mc-
Holland's wife, who was still living, at a very advanced age, in the eighties,
says her husband came to the county when Indiana was yet a territory, in
1 81 5. Mr. Ketchum, just mentioned, came two years later and was well
acquainted with the tirst settler, as it appears from many incidents. Of
course prior to the settlement of David McHolland, there had been transient
hunters and trappers, but, so far as is known, no white family had ever be-
fore invaded this county for the purpose of making permanent settlement.
He was also a famous hunter and it is said supported his little family chiefly
with his trusty rifle. He killed many bears at different points within what
is now Monroe county, often under great difiiculty and personal danger.
His wife was frequently heard to boast of baking the first corn pone in Mon-
roe county, and doubtless she was correct. The McHoUands cultivated a
few acres of land in Clear Creek township upon which they squatted, and
after a few years weflt to the northwestern part of the county, where they
continued to reside many years.
Settler number two has slipped from the records and from the memory
of anyone now living here. Bartlett Woodward came to Clear Creek town-
ship in 1 816 and entered a large amount of go\ernment land. He built a
log house for himself and family. He reported several families as being in
Clear Creek township when he came. Pioneer Woodward was a prominent
citizen and was elected one of the county commissioners in 1818.
Colonel Ketchum built a grist mill on Clear creek as early as 18 18, which
was for many years famous in all the surrounding scope of country. Other
mills were Greene's and Chambers' and Shirley's, each being waterpower
mills. The Taylors sent the first fiat-boat loaded with pork and grain down
the stream of either Clear or Salt creeks from Monroe county.
By the time of the first land sales in the county, there had come to what
is now Bloomington township more than a dozen families. During the
232 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
first four years after the land sale in 181 6, the persons who entered land
were inclusive of these: David Rogers, section 33, in 1816; Joseph Taylor,
section 33, 1816; George Ritchey, section t,t.. 1816; George Hendrick, sec-
tion 33, 1816: John Ketchum, section 6, 181 6; Henry Wampler, section 6,
1816; Adam Bower, section (), 181 6; Thomas Smith, section 7, 1816; William
Julian, section 7, 1816; William J. Adair, section 7, 1816; John Griffith, sec-
tion 15, 1817: James Matlock, section 18, 1817: James Wood, section 19,
1817; John Buskirk, section 25, 1817; William Goodwin, section 13. 1818;
Thomas Barker, section 19, 1818; Abraham Buskirk, section 24, 1818;
Stephen P. Seal'ls, section 26, 1818; George Whisenand, section 6. 1820;
Thomas Hardy, section 24, 1821. These and a few more were the only
ones who entered lands in Bloomington township before 1822.
In Bean Blossom township the first settler is not now fully known,
but certain it is that John Fullen and Nathaniel Gilbert located in 1816.
Other early settlers of the county are given as from this township, in the
township history in this volume.
In Richland, township, many land entries were made in 1816, and it is
usually believed that the first family to locate permanently was that of Will-
iam Edmunson, near Ellettsville, where he built a small log cabin. It is
not believed that he was a land owner at that date — simply a squatter. Later
he bought his claim from George Cutler on section 9.
In 1S15 there were a few white settlers in what is now Van Buren town-
ship, but just who is entitled to first place among the pioneer band is now
unknown. The chief settlement and land entries here were made in 1816.
In Indian Creek township the first settlers were the Lambs and Walkers.
The first settlers were scattered here and there throughout the entire town-
ship, living in rude log huts, many miles apart, though all did their part to-
ward developing the country.
In Clear Creek township, the first settler was also the first in the county,
as before stated — David McHolland. who came in 1815.
In Washington township the first to enter land and effect his settlement
was James Bennington, who entered at the land office at Vincerines, Septem-
ber 12. 1817. the southwest quarter of section 30, township to north, range
I west. The next settler was John Patterson in 1823, on section 31.
In Benton township the first land entry was made by Elisha Pollard, on
section 34, September 27, 1822.
In Salt Creek township, Moses Williams purchased the first land on
Se])tember 9, 1817, in section 7.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 233
In Polk township the first to enter land was Elijah Elliott, who iDought
ninety odd (fractional) acres in congressional township 7 north, range 1
east, on section 4.
In ^Marion township, the first to enter land was Osborn & Brown,
merchants, who claimed land on section 6, but not with the view of becoming
actual settlers. This was in 1823. This township was among the last to
be settled.
The various township histories, found elsewhere in this work, will give
more in detail of the settlement of the county, hence need not here be men-
tioned further. This county has been settled almost one hundred years, and
has made a wonderful history and its development will rank high among
the sister sub-divisions of the great state of Indiana.
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
After the organization of Monroe county, the locating of the county seat
at Bloomington, by the locating commissioners appointed by the governor
of Indiana, and the holding of the original general election, at which officers,
including the first board of county commissioners, were chosen, the real
machinery of the county government commenced to do active service. The
first meeting of the first board was held at the house of Abner Blair on April
lo, 1818. The board consisted of Bartlett Woodward, Michael Buskirk and
James Parks. The time which each was to serve was determined by the
number of votes each had received when elected — a very fair manner of dis-
posing of such choice, instead of drawing lots, as is the usual modern-day
process for choice of long and short terms. Mr. Woodward received the
highest number of votes and hence served three years; Mr. Buskirk had the
next highest number and served two years ; Mr. Peck, having the lowest num-
ber of votes, received the shortest term, or one year as member of the county
board.
The first official act of the newly elected board was the appointment of
William Lowe as county clerk, pro tempore, and the second was the appoint-
ment of Capt. James Bigger as lister or assessor of the county for the year
1818, his bond being fixed at one thousand five hundred dollars. Roderick
Rawlings was then appointed by the commissioners as county treasurer, and
he was required to put up bonds in the sum of twenty thousand dollars.
The second day of the board's meeting, they adopted a county seal,
which was only intended to be temporary, and was simply a scrawl enclosing
the words "Temporary Seal of Monroe County."
William Milliken was appointed superintendent of the sixteenth section
(school section) in township 10 north, range 2 west; George Parks the same
in township 8 north, range 2 west; John Storm, the same in township 7
north, range i west : William Matlock, the same in township 9 north, range
I west.
Benjamin Parks was appointed county agent, with bond fixed at twenty
thousand dollars. By order of the board, the county seat was to be styled
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 235
and known as "Bloomington." The locating commissioners, who had served
by appointment of the governor, were allowed the sum of thirty-three dollars
to David Fonts; thirty dollars to John Pernicks ; thirty dollars to Jonathan
Jones; thirty dollars to Samuel Burcham.
The first road petition in the county was headed by William Hardin,
and the highway sought was to extend from Bloomington to Scott's Ferry
on Salt creek, and thence on to the Lawrence county line. The viewers ap-
pointed were William Jackson, John Scott and William Craig. This wagon
road was ordered constructed and was the first wholly built by Monroe
county.
The town of Bloomington was then ordered to be surveyed and laid off
into lots, the whole matter being left in the hands of the county agent.
On the third day of the first session of the board of county commis-
sioners, a log house was ordered constructed known as a "double-log house,"
which was to be used as a court house, and it was specified that it was only
for temporary use.
The board also, on the third day of its first session, selected the first
grand jury of Monroe county, which was composed of the following gentle-
men: Dudley Carl, William Chambers, David Chambers, John Scott, John
Mercer, Thomas Grimes, John Berry, William Newcomb, Jesse Tarkington,
Solomon Green, Jonathan Nichols, George Sharp, William Millikan, George
Parks, Sr., Coleman Puitt, Eli Lee, William Hadin and Henry Wampler.
The sheriff in attendance, John W. Lee, was ordered to notify these
grand jurymen to meet for action at the house of Abner Blair. The traverse
jury was then selected as follows : William Matlock, George Burdrick,
John Thompson. Samuel Scott, Thomas Clark, Jonathan Rains, John Storm,
Jr., John Couch, John Matlock, John Cutler, Joseph Peeshaw, David Sears,
Elijah Morgan, James Wright and James Matlock.
Jonathan Rogers, Robert Russell and Samuel Scott were appointed first
road supervisors. John W. Lee, sheriff, was paid eighteen dollars for notify-
ing the locating commissioners of their appointment, and was also allowed
seven dollars for making returns of the first election held in the cnunty.
LATER PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD.
A full report of the sale of town lots in the newly located seat of justice
will be found in the chapter on the township and cit\ of Bloomington. In
passing it may be said, however, that the monev recei\e(l from the lot sales
236 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
was the chief source of revenue to the county for a number of years. From
the start the county board were compelled to issue warrants or orders at a
discount, which were later ordered received for county dues. Wild-cat bank
issues were the only paper money then, and almost every report of the
treasurer of the county exhibits an entry of certain def>reciation on the bank
bills in possession of the county. A holder of a "bank note" those days was
not sure in the morning that it was worth anywhere near as much as the night
before. The contrast with today is indeed marked — now every bill, and
every coin, whether copper, silver or gold, is worth what it carries in denom-
ination upon its face.
EARLY TAX LEVIES.
When the county was first organized the rate of taxes on various ar-
ticles was as follows: On each horse, thirty-seven and a half cents; on each
hundred acres of first class land, fifty cents; on each hundred acres of second
class land, forty cents; on each hundred acres of third class land, twenty-five
cents; and many other items in like proportion.
The license fixed on tavern keepers in February, 1819. was seven dollars
and fifty cents in Bloomington and five dollars in the country. The board
also fixed the charges of tavern keepers (a thing that now might be considered
"unconstitutional" by landlords) which run thus: For breakfast, twenty-five
cents; for dinner, twenty-five cents; for supper, eighteen and three-fourths
cents ; lodging, six and one-fourth cents ; corn or oats, per gallon, twelve and
a half cents; horse at fodder or hay, twenty-five cents; one half pint of
whisky, twelve and a half cents; same quantity of brandy, eighteen and
three-fourths cents; one half pint of French brandy, thirty-seven and one-
half cents ; same amount of wine, same price.
In the summer of 1820 County Agent Benjamin Parks reported the total
sales and rents of town lots and other donated lands amounted to the sum
of $27,874.58. He had paid over, $9,383.73; discounts on bad cur-
rency, $98.80: balance on hand, $32.51. A fine financial showing for early-
day Bloomington, indeed.
Addison Smith succeeded Benjamin Parks as county agent, in August,
1820, and later in that year James Boreland succeeded Roderick Rawlins
as countv treasurer. The census enumerator in 1820 was Addison Smith.
]-A WHENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 237
PUBLIC BUILDINGS COURT HOUSES, ETC.
As has been shown, the first business of the county was transacted at
the private residence of Abner Blair, where the first courts assembled, but
the order of the commissioners was carried out, in the erection of the double-
log coui't house — two cabins, one being twenty by twenty feet and the other
twelve by twenty feet in size. These structures were ten feet apart, with a
covered "entry" connecting the two buildings^ — really the two houses and
entry- way were all under one roof. The houses were to be built of round
logs and later to be hewed down flat. Each was to be ten feet high to the
eaves, each to contain one door and one window. The contractor was
Samuel Elliott, and the price paid was about four hundred dollars.
Mr. Elliott also contracted to clear away the trees and bushes from
around the pioneer court house. The work was pushed along so rapidly
that the building was occupied in August. 1818.
THE SECOND COURT HOUSE.
Monroe county's second court house was planned for in February, 1819.
The specifications as prepared by William Low stated that the structure was
to be of brick with a stone foundation. It was to be two stories high and
forty-five feet long, east and west, and forty feet wide, north and south. It
was in May, 181 9, when Rol>ert Stafford took the contract, but failing to put
up security — the bond being fixed at twenty thousand dollars — the contract
was re-awarded to John Ketchum, for seven thousand nine hundred and
sixty-five dollars. Work was commenced in June, and in August the first
installment of one thousand dollars was paid the contractor. At this date
posts and railings were placed around the old court house. Samuel Harry-
man was one of the brick-layers on the court house. In February, 1820,
County Treasurer Rawlins donated certain commissions due him on receipts
for lot sales, provided such donation should go toward the purchase of a
clock for the new court house. His offer was thankfully received and ac-
cepted by the county commissioners and taxpayers of the county. It was not
until 1824 that all the trees had been cleared from the public square, and
such work was finally completed by David Teague. who received for such
work the sum of twenty-four dollars. In February, 1820, the plans for the
court house were somewhat changed, but the main work went forward. In
August, 1821, Mr. Ketchum was paid four thousand dollars on his contract,
238 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the rough work having aU been completed at that date. David Armstrong
was contracted with to build what the county clerk wrote in record as a
■"cubola" to the building. For three years prior to December, 1822, the
clerk's office was maintained at the house of Jacob B. Lowe, and he was paid
sixty dollars as rental money. Early in 1823 the court house was nearly
completed and ready for occupancy. But as it was not fully finished it was
not occupied for a long time afterwards, notwithstanding the county had
paid the contractor for all the work. In 1824 Edward Borland was paid
three hundred fifty-two dollars and twenty cents for additional work on this
building, and David Armstrong the sum of one thousand five hundred five
dollars and twenty cents; Benjamin Neeld, twenty-four dollars and other
parties eighty-one dollars. Mr. Ketchum was never paid quite his full con-
tract price, but nearly that amount. The court house was not completed,
inside and out, before ]826, and its cost was eight thousand three hundred
dollars.
Lightning rods were then termed "Franklin rods," in honor of Benjamin
Franklin, inventor of the lightning rod. The county board had great faith
in such electric conductors and purchased rods for the new court house, and
by this act they had an endless amount of trouble. Austin Seward was en-
gaged to paint the building a fire red and to pencil it of¥ in white, and such
work was all to be finished before September, 1826. In 1825 Samuel Dun-
ning engaged to build a county clerk's office and county library room, which
work was performed before November that year. At that date the public
square was neatly fenced. Z. Williams executed the wood work on the
clerk's office, while Ewing & Montgomery did the plastering. The finished
building was occupied in May, 1826, and occupied for the first time that same
month. Z. Williams was handed the ke_MS to the court house and instructed
by the board to keep it locked, permitting it to be occupied only by the courts,
county commissioners, taking of depositions. Fourth of July celebrations,
elections, "when any person shall want admittance for the purpose of acquir-
ing agricultural knowledge, and in the discretion of the keeper to any preacher
of the gospel."
This court house was a fine structure for that early day and was the
pride of Bloomington and this portion of Indiana. Bloomington, the county
seat, was looked upon as one of the most promising towns in all the Hoosier
state.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 239
THE BUILDING TO BE FENCED.
In March, 1827, the citizens petitioned the county board as follows:
"To the Honorable Board of Justices of Monroe County : The undersigned
petitioners respectfully represent that they conceive that the honor of the
county and the future interests and importance of Bloomington, which now
ranks among the best villages in the state, imperiously requires that the court
house should be surrounded b}- a permanent inclosure, which would add to
the convenience and beauty of our public square, and at the same time hold
forth a powerful inducement to the citizens of the town to make correspond-
ing improvements in the streets and alleys." The long lot of suggestions as
to how such fence should be constructed wound up b\- sa}ing the same "should
be built of brick on a stone foundation." The petition was heard and granted.
The honorable petitioners were as follows, names still familiar in Monroe
county : Thomas Graham, William Alexander, Edward Borland, John
Hight, George Henry, James Whitcomb, Edmund Wyman, Granville \\'ard,
Richard Hardesty, William S. W^right. James Slocum, Robinson Farmer,
George H. Johnson, Frederick Butler, Jacob Harsh, John S. Barnes, "and
others." William Bannister and John Robinson did the work of fencing
the square. The final settlement with contractor Armstrong, builder of the
court house, was not made until 1829.
In 1856-58 this court house was remodeled, the work being performed
by John F. Rogers, who built the two brick wings at a cost of about seven
thousand dollars. A few more changes were made on the property up to
1884. when it was stated that it was in as solid a condition as when first built,
sixty years before. It served the purpose of Monroe county as a temple
of justice until the erection of the present magnificent stone court house.
THE PRESENT COURT HOUSE.
The following tablet adorns the wall of the lower story (]>asement)
of the present court house, and it gi\es much history in a condensed form:
Building ordered March 6, 1906.
Completed June i, 1908.
County Commissioners — igo6, James W. Davis, Isaac Mitchell, Jacob Miller;
1907, Jacob Miller, Isaac Mitchell. Benjamin F. Cooter.
Isaac C. Batman, County Attorney.
Auditor, Samuel M. Kerr.
240 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Citizens' Advisory Board — Fred Matthews, M. H. Bogemann, J. D. Showers,
S. C. Freese, P. K. Buskirk.
Architects — Marshall S. Mahurin, Guy M. Mahurin, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Contractors — George W. Caldwell and Lester Drake, Columbus, Indiana.
Secretary — August H. Knosman; Superintendent, Herman Vergin.
The cost of the above structure was two hundred and hfty thousand
dollars. Its corner stone was laid with impressive Masonic ceremonies on
the loth day of May, 1907. It stands in the center of a beautifully kept pub-
lic square, with stone and cement walks running to all the entrances. A rest
room is found for ladies in the northeast corner of the cool basement. The
room opposite is used by the Grand Army of the Republic. The county
officers are found on the second floor, while the law library, jury rooms and
court room are found on the third floor, as well as many of the county
officers' rooms, such as school superintendent, etc. A fine tower surmounts
this massive stone building, in which is hung a great bell and clock, that
sounds the hours as they go by, year in and year out. The dials of this
clock are illuminated and face each direction, and may be seen at a great
distance.
COUNTY JAIL HISTORY.
In October, 1818, it was deemed a necessity to provide this county with
a suitable and safe jail. Roderick Rawlins was engaged to draw plans for
such a building. It was to be built of oak timbers, one foot thick, and was
to stand north of the court house; was to be twenty by thirty feet in size; to
be provided with a dungeon and a criminal's room, and a jailor's room, the
latter to be constructed on the east side of the jail proper. Roderick Rawlins
took the contract and hurried the building along to completion. John
Rawlins built a "stray pen" for the town, for which he was paid the sum
of twenty-three dollars. Joel Woodward and others dug a well on the public
square. Early in 18 19 it was ordered that the square be fenced in, but this
work was delayed some time.
The jail was reported finished in February, 1820, luit the inspecting
committee found that the debtor's room was incomplete, and David H. Max-
well was employed to remedy the objections. So be it remembered that
Monroe's first jail had a debtor's room, and that, too. in Bloomington, only
ninety years ago!
The first jailor was Enos Blair. We have no records of the men and
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 24I
women who were from time to time placed in this jail; however, it matters
not now, for long years since they have been numbered among the dead !
In 1837 the county concluded to build a new jail and appointed John
Bowland, E. T. Butler, William S. Wright, Samuel Hardesty, Joseph Baugh
and John W. Lee a committee tu remo\e the old wooden jail and build on
the same lot a new one. The contract was awarded to Hardesty, Graham
and Chapman, but the price is not now known. The new jail was a strong
brick structure, costing hve thousand dollars, and was ncjt fully completed
until early in the forties. That jail did duty until 1869-70, when bids were
invited looking towards the erection of a new jail, which had really been
needed since 1856. Four bids were received, and that of George Finley &
Company being the best, it was accepted, the same being to erect a jail and
sheriff's residence, all of stone work, for the sum of six thousand nine hun-
dred and ninety-eight dollars. That prison house was thirty- four by forty-
one feet; the residence was to be twenty by forty- four feet, with a kitchen
and guard-room fourteen by thirty-three feet. It was to be brick, on stone
foundation.
The next jail was the present one, on Walnut street, it has a jailer's
residence and jail proper. The former is a three-story brick structure, while
the remodeled prison, or jail, in its rear, is constructed of stone, the chief
product of the county. Its walls are veiw thick and heavy steel grating, set
back to the back sides of the deep window openings, affords a safe retention
of prisoners there incarcerated.
CARE OF THE COUNTY POOR.
Nothing speaks better for any county or state than tu note that the un-
fortunate poor within their boundaries are well and humanely cared for.
Of this one thing Monroe county may justly boast. No sooner had this
county been organized than it commenced to look toward the care of the
poor and distressed within its bounds. In every township overseers were
appointed to look after the wants of the poor — those claiming citizenship.
These officers reported to the county board and the commissioners allowed
the necessary bills, same as any other claims against the count)-. It is now
seldom that children are "farmed out." l)ut in an early day this practice
was quite frequent. The keeping of helpless children was put up at auction,
and he who would provide for their necessary wants for the least money was
burdened with the responsibility. Much care had to be exercised, other-
(16)
242 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
wise children would fall into the hands of cruel and hard-hearted men and
women, who might half clothe and feed the little innocents. The whole
system was bad, and but little comfort ever came to the children thus put into
strange hands. It was, however, more humane than to let them die for lack
of any care whatever. Much temi^orary and sometimes permanent relief was
furnished by the townships, and no call made on the county board for reim-
bursement. Among the first orders for such relief for the poor reads as
follows :
"State of Indiana, Marion County.
"Monroe County, Debtor to Solomon Green for an allowance for an
injury sustained to his bedding in keeping, laying out and burying Louis Lee,
a poor person.
"February 5, 1824.
"David Sears,
"William Moore,
"Overseer of the Poor."
As the population of the county began to increase, naturally the expense
of keeping the poor became larger. In 1827, the county paid $46.20 and
in 1830. $75. Later in the thirties the expense was $200 annually. In 1836,
it amounted to $204.63. These amounts did not include cases cared for by
the individual townships. Some extreme years the county's expense ran as
high as $500. It ran so high that in 1836 the project of establishing a county
poor farm was agitated. A petition was presented to the county board in
November, 1836, praying for a poor farm, and, in response to this, John
Hite, John Owens, and Jesse Davar were appointed a committee to inspect
various farms with a view of purchasing. Nothing further was done until
1838 and in May of that year another committee, consisting of John Owens,
Edward Borland and John Hite, were appointed for the same purpose, the
farm to cost not less than fi\e hundred dollars nor more than one thousand
five hundred dollars. The purchase price was to be paid in three equal an-
nual payments. But for some unknown reason, the matter was allowed to
rest until 1846, when another committee was appointed in the persons of
Elias Abel, Henry Tanner and another, to inspect some half dozen farms for
sale. The one owned bv John Acuff w^as selected and bought at nine hun-
dred dollars, half down and balance in one year. It was situated five miles
from Bloomington and consisted of one hundred and twenty acres. Upon
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 243
the farm was an ordinar\- dwelling house, and the county lioard ordered an
additional log house. Mr. AcutT was appointed superintendent and allowed
one hundred dollars to look after the farm and care for the unfortunate poor
that might there be assembled. The first pauper. Crazy Betsey, was taken
to the asylum in June, 1846. Acuff continued superintendent until 1849 and
was succeeded by Robert Ray. John N. York was- the third superintendent
and he found only three inmates to care for. During the fifties, some years
the expense to this county at the farm was upwards of three thousand dol-
lars. As high as eight inmates were at the place at one time. The greater
expense, however, fell upon the several townships. Later in the fifties it was
found that some better system must obtain to care successfully for the pauper
element in the county. In 1862, a new farm of one hundred and sixty-eight
acres was bought from Samuel A. Smith for six thousand dollars. It was
parts of sections 30 and 31, township 8 north, range i west. One member
of the board, Mr. Small, protested against the purchase, for various reasons,
but his objection was of no avail and the land was bought. A building
known as the Asylum, was constructed by Milburn & Phetridge, for one thou-
sand six hundred and eighty-eight dollars. It was a frame structure, about
thirty-five by seventy-five feet, and contained nine rooms on each side. The
property was paid for on the installment plan and not seriously burdensome to
the tax-payers. After three or four years the objections made by Mr. Small,
member of the county Ix^ard, were felt with much force. That the board
made a mistake was then acknowledged by the people generally. In Decem-
ber. 1865. the farm was advertised for sale and soon sold to JohnTv May for
nine thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. ^Ir. May became superin-
tendent, he agreeing to keep the paupers for two dollars a week each. Samuel
A. Smith had just preceded him as superintendent. A new poor farm must
now be purchased and in March. 1866, the board bought of Peter Bollen-
backer six seminary lots known as the Cuff farm, a mile and a half west of
Bloomington, each lot containing ten acres, for three thousand dollars. In
May, 1867, sealed bids were received to build a brick as\lum on this land.
Samuel A. Smith's bid of five thousand eight hundred dollars seeming the
best bid of the lot offered, it was accepted. :\ fine building was constructed
within about two years.
The present county asylum, or i;)Oor house, ^^as erected on the one hun-
dred and sixty-acre tract of land owmed by the county, four miles out from
Bloomington, in Van Buren township, in 1892. It is a brick structure, with
244 J.AWKL.NOE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
a deep stone basement. The work and kitchen affairs, etc., are in the large
basement, while the tw'o upper floors are used for the convenience of the
unfortunate poor, who in 1913 amounted to about thirty-six, divided about
equally between the two sexes and nearly all aged persons. Thomas A.
Cunningham, the present efficient superintendent, has been in office since 1907,
and during his incumbency the average number of inmates has been about
thirty-six yearl)-. The farm is well tilled and produces much of the meat
and vegetables consumed by the inmates and the superintendent's family and
hired help. About five hundred dollars surplus each year, after keeping the
superintendent and family, is turned over for the maintenance of the institu-
tion, the balance having to be made up by the county fund set apart for such
purpose. Here the poor are well cared for.
FINANCES OF THE COUNTY.
The records show the following concerning the finances of Monroe
county from its organization, in 1818, to February, 1819, the first year:
Total expenses of the county, $3,685. In 1827 the expenses amounted to
$858; in 1836, $1,364; in 1839-40. $2,450; in 1842-43, $3,411; in 1846,
$3>955; in 1852-53. $6,446; in 1860-61, $15,612; in 1864-65, $106,054. Of
this latter amount, the poor cost $5,693 ; county officers, $3,023 ; military
bounties, $81,000. This left the county in debt about $88,250. In 1872-73
the expense was $49,000. In 1876 the county owed, in round figures,
$10,000. In 1883 the county issued bonds to the amount of $50,000 to aid
in building a university building. Each bond was for $500, and it ran six per
cent, redeemable in ten years.
Thirty years ago — 1883 — the total state taxes of this county were
$8,525; the state school tax was $10,945; the county tax was $32,785; town-
ship taxes $3.863 ;. tuition tax, $3,294. all of which shows a lively interest
taken in educational matters.
On January i. 19 12. there was on hand in the county treasury the sum
of $63,334.85. The receipts for the year 1912 amounted to $310,274.74,
making a total in receipts up to December 31, 1912, of $373,609.59. The
disbursements of the county for that year were $344,693, leaving a net bal-
ance of $28,916.38, January i, 1913.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 245
ASSESSED VALUATION ABSTRACT FOR iqi3.
The subjoined shows the taxable property of all kinds, in the county,
. by townships and incorporations :
Bean Blossom to\vnship__$ 489,080 Polk township I35'3i5
Washington township 228,020 Clear Creek township 526,515
Marion township 109,150 Indian Creek township 302,410
Benton township 223,120 Part of Bloomington city_ 3,469,000
Bloomington township 738,850 Part of city in Perry twp._ 1,187,755
Richland township 608,545 Kllettsville, town of 198,455
Van Buren township 469,265 Stinesville, town of 58.350
Perry township i,2/^,it,^
Salt Creek townshi]) -1-355 Total $10,181,430
THE OLD COUNTY LIBRARY.
When the Legislature authorized the organization of Monroe county,
one of the considerations was that ten per cent, of the proceeds of the town
lots at the county seat to be located was to be used to found and maintain a
county library. A treasurer was appointed to take care of the funds thus
derived. In 1821 the first books were bought, when sixty dollars was spent
for a few dozen standard books (not cheap yellow-covered books), which
laid the foundation for a good library in later years. In July, 1830, $2,428.14
had been paid to the library treasurer, the most of which had gone toward the
purchase of good books, and the library then boasted of eight hundred vol-
umes. The ten per centum on the receipts of town lot sales in Bloomington
proved a munificent fund for library purposes in those early days. In 1884,
there were over two thousand volumes (some having been rebound several
times ) of standard works, and they occupied the old office building that was
erected in the twenties. At present there is a small circulating library in
one of the basement rooms of the new court house.
CHAPTER VI.
POLITICAL HISTORY AND REPRESENTATION.
While it is not intended by the author of this work to attempt to give
any extended poHtical history of the county, yet there are several matters
that must of necessity be mentioned, as showing the general political trend of
the people from the time of the organization down to the present day. All
good forms of government have their political parties and every good citizen
is allied with some one of these parties. ^Vhile it is not practical to give a
full and complete return of all local and general elections in Monroe county,
a list of the men who have represented the county in some official capacity
will be given and the general political complexion of the county wall be thus
indicated, especially will the Presidential vote show how the voters have
stood on national issues.
THE VOTE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
But little attention was paid to political parties here until 1840 — that
memorable Presidential campaign — because almost everyone was a Demo-
crat until that date. Only three townships can be reported at the 1840 elec-
tion, on account of the loss of the records. These townships are Blooming-
ton, which gave the Democratic nominees, Van Buren and Johnson, 587
votes, against 541 for the Whig nominees, Harrison and Tyler. Salt Creek
gave the Democratic candidates eleven votes, all that were cast in the town-
ship. Bean Blossom township gave the Democratic candidate 117 votes, as
against 50 for the Whig candidates. This made 715 votes for Van Buren
and Johnson, and 591 for Harrison and Tyler.
This was a memorable political campaign, in which Indiana put forth
her idol. Gen. William Henry Harrison, the hero of the famous battle of
Tippecanoe. The whole new West united their forces to make him the
country's chief executive, and in this were triumphant, and for the first time
the East had to bow to the power and opinion of the W^est. Monroe county,
however, gave Van Buren a majority of her votes and, as usual, went Demo-
cratic. It was about this time that the question of slavery began to attract
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 247
much general attention. Anti-slavery societies were formed all over the
Northern states and the struggle to maintain or overthrow slavery was fully
in operation. This was enhanced by the new territories seeking admission
to the Union, Nebraska and Kansas included, which were tlie scene of much
violent strife just a little later on. In 1844 the campaign opened just after
Texas had gained her independence from Mexico, and that territory asked
admission; this pleased the slave states of the South, knowing that it would
strengthen their cause to have annexed another slave state of such .great terri-
torial proportions. This, of course, was not relished upon the part of the
Northern anti-slavery element. The Democrats put in nomination James
K. Polk and the Whigs, Henry Clay. Much enthusiasm prevailed at this elec-
tion in Monroe county, the first of much note, politically, in the county's
history. The election resulted as follows : Polk and Dallas, Democrats,
1,118; Clay and Frelinghuysen, Whig, 721; Democratic majority, 397.
The records for the elections of 1848 and 1852 are not in existence.
1856 — Buchanan and Breckenridge, Democrats, 1,191: Fremont and
Dayton, Republicans, 498; iMllmore and I)(jnalson, American, 392.
During the next four years, people, even in the North, were almost on
the threshold of civil war. In 1858 the South began to prepare for the
great struggle that was ine\i table and which came in 1861.
i860 — Douglas and Johnson, Northern Democrats, 716; Breckenridge
and Lane, Southern Democrats, 395; Lincoln and Hamlin, Republican, 1,198;
Bell and Everett, American, 64. It will be observed that the Southern wing
of the Democratic party was very strong, thus showing that there was in this
county a very strong sentiment in favor of slavery and the position taken by
the South. The Democratic strength was broken down between 1856 and
i860, but during the Civil war it regained much of its former strength.
. 1864 — McClellan and Pendleton, Democratic, 1,210; Lincoln and John-
son, Republican, 1,202.
In 1866 this county iDecame Republican l)y a large majority, which has
been hard for Democracy to overcome ever since. It was in 1868 that M. C.
Hunter defeated H. W. Harrison, Democratic, for Congress; and Conrad
Baker, Republican, was elected over Thomas A. Hendricks, Democratic, for
• Governor of Indiana. The following is a synopsis of the vote at subsequent
presidential elections :
1868 — Grant and Colfax (Rep.) 1,496
Seymour and Blair (Dem.) 1'369
248 LAWREXCF. AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
1872 — Grant and Wilson (Rep.j • 1.597
Greeley and Brown (Dem.) 1.359
Bourbon (Dem.) 5
1876 — Hayes and Wheeler (Rep.) 1,667
Tilden and Hendricks (Dem.) 1.559
1880 — Garfield and Arthur (Rep.) 1,780
Hancock and English (Dem.) 1,682
WeaA-er and Chambers (Ind.) 165
1884 — Cleveland and Hendricks (D) 1,732
Blaine and Logan (Rep.) 1,896
1888 — Cleveland and Thurman (Dem.) 1,825
Harrison and Morton (Rep.) 2,055
1892 — Harrison and Reed (Rep.) 2,000
Cleveland and Stevenson (Dem.) 1,910
Fisk (Prohib. ) 93
Union Labor 344
1896 — McKinley and Hobart (Rep.) 2,570
Bryan and Sewall (Dem.) 2,396
Prohibition 27
1900 — McKinley and Roosevelt (Rep.) 2,750 n
Bryan and Stevenson (Dem.) 2,348
People's Party 20
1904 — Roosevelt and Fairbanks (Rep.) 2,990
Parker and Davis (Dem.) 2.286
Prohibition 92
1908 — Taft and Sherman (Rep.) 2,986
Br\'an and Kern (Dem.) 2,704
1912 — Taft (Rep.) 1,342
Wilson and Marshall (Dem.) 2.334
Roosevelt and Johnson (Progressive) T.448
The political campaigns in the county during the war were hotly con-
tested, and were generally in doubt until the returns had been counted. The
question of the success of the Uhion cause depended greatly on the men in
public office, and consequently the people were careful to select the man who
favored the continuation of hostilities until the country was once more united.
In 1863 the two parties were divided on the question of continuing the war,
and public meetings were held everywhere for both sides. The result was a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 249
Democratic victory by a majority of 170, in a total vote of 2,050. In Febru-
ary, 1864, a Unionist mass meeting was held to elect delegates to the Union
state convention at. Indianapolis, and they also passed a series of resolutions
indorsing Lincoln for the Presidency of the United States and Morton for
governor of Indiana. September 15th, the congressional candidates of both
parties spoke at the court house. Mr. Harrington, the Democratic candi-
date, was unable to be present, and David Sheeks spoke in his place. Mr. Hill,
the Union candidate, spoke with much eloquence ; also a Mr. Gunii. of Ken-
tucky, spoke. The October and November campaigns, however, were des-
tined to be the fiercest and longest of any during the war. Each party knew
that the balance of the war depended in large measure on the outcome of the
election and each faction exerted every means within its power to win.
Prominent speakers from over the country were brought to Monroe county,
and every means was used to carrv the voters to one side or the other. The
October election showed a Republican gain over 1863. and Governor Morton
ran ahead of his ticket, receiving a majority of four votes. The retention
of Indiana's famous "war governor" was great news for the people in favor
of continuing the fight against the South, and they increased their efforts in
order that thev might follow up their advantage in the November elections.
Major Popp. of the Eighteenth Regiment. Hon. Henry S. Lane, General Kim-
ball. Colonel Anderson, of the Twelfth Cavalry. Hon. M. R. Hull of Wayne
county, and P. C. Dunning came to Monroe county and expounded political
theories before the citizens. After the ballots had been counted it was found
that the Democratic electors had a majority of eight votes, a gain of forty on
the October elections, and one hundred and sixty on the election of 1863.
The result was most satisfactory to the l^nion adherents, and they rejoiced in
noisy and patriotic manner.
The subjoined is as complete a record of the various county officers as
can be secured :
COUNTY AUDITORS.
r84i_William C Tarkington. 1888— William Blair.
1855— Robert C. Foster. 1 892— Jonathan M. Hinkle.
1863 — Milton McPhetridge. 1896 — Fred Matthews.
I867 — Henry F. Perry. 1900 — Samuel Kerr.
1870 — James F. Manley. 1904 — Samuel Kerr.
1878— R. A. Fulk. 1908— Horace Blakely.
1882^ — W. M. Alexander. 1912— \V. F. Kinser.
1886 — Simeon Pedigo.
250
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
COUNTY CLERKS.
1818 — William Lowe.
1820 — Jacob B. Lowe.
1838 — W. F. Browning.
1844 — David Browning.
1846— M. McPhetridge.
i860 — David Carson.
1862 — David Sheeks.
1866 — Robert C. Foster.
1870 — John R. East.
1874 — William F. Browning.
1882 — D. W. Browning.
1886— E. Fuller.
1890 — J. W. Craven.
1894 — John T. Woodward.
1898— Ed. F. Hall.
1902 — Joseph H. Campbell.
1906 — J. H. Campbell.
1 9 10 — T- P- Fowler.
SHERIFFS.
1818— John W. Lee.
1 8 19 — Jesse Wright.
1822 — Enos Blair.
1830 — ^James Alexander.
1834 — Elias Blair.
1838— John M. Sluss.
1842 — ^John Eller.
1846 — William F. Browning.
1850 — ^James Kelley.
1854— P. L. D. Mitchell.
1858 — Andrew W. Reeves.
1862 — Acquilla W. Rogers.
1866 — Lawson E. McKenney.
1870 — Richard A. Fulk.
1872 — L. E. McKenney.
1876— W. M. Alexander.
1880 — Silas Grinies.
1884 — Marion Hinkle.
1888— Marion Hinkle.
1888— T. J. Farr.
1890 — T. J. Farr.
1892 — Wilson Adams.
1894 — Wilson Adams.
1896 — George D. Thornton.
1898— W. F. Kinser.
1900 — Peter Thrasher.
1902 — Peter Thrasher.
1904 — B. J. Hough.
1906— J. W. Ratliff.
1908— J. W. Ratliff.
1910-J. W. Ratliff.
191 2 — Tames G. Browning.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
1818— Charles Bailey.
1 83 1 — James J. King.
1839 — David Browning.
1844 — Samuel Buskirk.
1845 — Robert Acuff.
i860 — James M. Beatley.
1863— P. W. Richeson.
1867 — William H. Jones.
1871— D. J. Hodges.
1875 — Thomas Howard.
.AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
251
1876 — I. Milt Rogers.
1877 — Oliver McLahlan.
1877 — L. McKunney.
1878 — Robert Gilmore.
1880— W. N. Hall.
1886— Dillion Talbott.
1890 — J. W. Jackson.
1894— J. W. Jackson.
1898 — Andrew J. Lampkins.
1902 — -Thomas Golliver.
1906— C. T. A. Burch.
1910 — Frank W. Lamkins.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
1 8 18 — Roderick Rawlins.
1820 — James Borland.
1826 — William Alexander.
1840 — Stephen P. Seall.
1 841 — Elias Abel.
1853— Charles Abel.
1855 — Samuel Gentry.
1858— P. L. D. Mitchell.
i860 — Johnson McCoUough.
1862— P. L. D. Mitchell.
1866— David B. Buskirk.
1870— J. M. Rogers.
1874 — John A. Reeves.
1878 — L. E. McKenney.
1882 — Isaac Clayman.
1884 — Isaac Clayman.
i88^-Dr. Gaston.
1888— Dr. Gaston.
1890 — T. PI. Sudbury.
1892— T. H. Sudbury.
1894— T. H. Sudbury.
1896 — J. S. Woodward.
1898 — James S. Williams.
1900 — John P. Harrell.
1902 — Peter B. Martin.
1904 — ^James T. Clark.
1906— Frank Regester.
1908 — William W. Weaver.
19 10 — \A'. W. Weaver.
191 2 — Joseph D. Hensley.
1 81 8 — Purnal Chane.
1822 — William Jackson.
1827 — James Slocum.
1828— Richard Hardesty.
1832 — John M. Sluss.
1834 — John Hardesty.
1836 — John Deaman.
1838 — James Slocum.
1844 — Samuel Kirk.
i85C^Y. B. Pullen.
i8s2 — Tames McBride.
1854 — John S. Moore.
1856 — Alexander McClelland.
1858— Elbert Johnson.
1859 J. R. Sluss. ':
1862— J. W. Pullen.
1863 — John C. Hook.
1865 — William Adams.
1867— W. A. Legg.
1868— W. H. Slerum.
1870 — W. L. Adams. :.
1872— G. P. Hines*. '
25^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
1876— A. J. Axtell.
1878 — James Dodd.
1880— C. D. McLehlen.
1882— J. H. Gaston.
"1890— J. D. Maxwell.
1892 — J. M. Rogers.
1896- — Robert C Rogers.
1898— C. E. Harris.
1900 — O. F. Rogers.
1902 — Charles F. Wier.
1904 — O. K. Harris.
1906 — O. K. Harris.
1908 — R. C. Rogers.
19 10 — J. Kentling.
191 2 — Chas. E. Harris.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
1818 — Jonathan Nichols.
T 820— William D. McCulloch.
1826 — James Borland.
* * * * ^
1846 — Henry Farmer.
1 849 — James Woodlxirn.
1852 — J. W. Spencer.
1854 — John J. Poynter.
1855 — J- ^^^- Silencer.
1859 — I. S. Buskirk.
1863 — J. W. Spencer.
1864— J. W. Alexander.
1867— E. P. Cole.
1870 — A. C. Spencer.
1872 — Henry Henley.
1876— M. H. Buskirk.
1878— G. W. Varroy.
1880— M. H. Buskirk.
1882— M. Buskirk.
1890 — George B. Rader.
1892 — E. E. Buskirk.
1896 — Charles Bowers.
1898— Frank P. Wood.
1900 — Lewis Deckard.
1902 — Charles M. Bowers.
1904 — E. Buskirk.
1906 — Charles Bowers.
191 o — Charles M. Bowers.
191 2— C. R. Wittaker.
SEMINARY TRUSTEES.
1818— William Lowe.
18 It) — William Jackson.
1820 — J. Greg(M-y.
1 820 — William Newcomh.
182T — Samuel lr\-in.
1823 — Samuel W. Moore.
1824 — William Lowe.
1829— P. M. Doty.
1830— F. T. Butler.
1 83 1— Benjamin Rogers.
PROBATE JUDGES.
1 8,cj— William 1). McCuUoch. 1838— Stephen P. Sealls.
1833 — Aquilla Rogers. 1840 — Henry Filer.-
-AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
253
1840 — William Edmundson.
1 841 — Aquilla Rogers.
1847 — J- B. Lowe.
1847— E. T. Butler.
1852-33 — The jurisdiction of probate
matters was transfered to the court of
common pleas, and the probate judge
was aboli.shed.
JUDGES OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
1 81 8— Thomas H. Blake.
1 8 19 — Gen. Washington Johnson.
1819 — Jonathan Doty.
1822— \V. ^^'. Wick.
1824 — John E. Ross.
1825— B. F. Morris.
1830 — John Law.
1830 — Gen. Washington Johnson.
1832 — Amory Kenney.
1837 — Elisha AT. Huntington.
1839— David AIcDonald.
1852 — James Hughes.
185^-A. B. Carlton.
1856 — James M. Hanna.
1858 — Solomon Claypool.
1865— D. R. Eckles.
Since the last date the courts have been presided over by judges includ-
ing Hons. Martin, Robert W. Myers, of Bloomington, and James B. Wilson,
of Bloomington. Judge Myers was a member of Congress from this dis-
trict, and is now engaged in legal practice at Bloomington.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
1818 — Joseph Berry.
1818— Lewis Noel.
1 82 1 — John Sedwick.
1823— William Matlock.
1825— Michael Buskirk.
182 s — William Edmundson.
1832 — Abram Buskirk.
1832 — Stephen Sealls.
1839 — Joseph Reeves.
1839 — John M. Berry.
1846 — Conrad Koons.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
1818 — George C. Sullivan.
1818 — John Law.
1819 — Addison C. Smith.
1820 — ^John F. Ross.
1825— W. W. Wick.
1825 — Calvin Fletcher.
1826 — John Kingsbury.
1827 — James Whitcomb.
1829 — E. M. Huntington.
1832 — John P. Dowden.
1833 — Paris C. Dunning.
1833 Mcjunkin.
1835 — David McDonald.
1838— D. R. Eckles.
254 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
1839 — John S. Watts. 1854 — A. B. Carlton.
1843— W. G. Quick. 1855— Theodore Reed.
1844— C. P. Hester. 1855— Francis L. Neff.
1849 — Jolm S. Watts. 1857 — Martin A. Osborn.
1850 — James S. Hester. 1858^ — Issac N. Pierce.
1 85 1— Samuel H. Buskirk. 1 861— Willis G. Neff.
1852— William M. Franklin. 1865— M. A. Malott.
1853— William F. McLean. 186^-Jacob A. Broadwell.
1853— A. B. Carlton. 1868 — John C. Robinson.
1854 — G. A. Buskirk.
SCHOOL EXAMINERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS.
Milton McPhetridge was school commissioner during the thirties and
forties, and the examiners were Robert A. Milligan, James Woodburn and
John J. Poynter, in 1853: James Woodburn, Ranson W. Akin, and Benjamin
Wolfe, 1855; James Woodburn, M. C. Campbell and Theophilus A. Wylie,
1856; James Woodburn, T. A. Wylie and Elisha Ballentine, 1857; E. P.
Cole, D. J. Shaw and W. C. Foster, 1859; E. P. Cole. 1859-63; D. E. Hunter,
1863; James H. Rogers. 1865; T. M. Hopkins, 1867; Edward Wright, 1869;
James H. Rogers, 1871 ; M. M. Campbell. 1872; G. W. Rumage, 1877; John
H. McGee, 1879; Frank Axtell, 1884; John Hazel. 1885; John H. Cravens,
1887; A. K. Dowden, 1891 : Frank T. Tourner. 1893; Thomas J. King, 1897;
A. C. Fan-. i8q8: W. V. Payne. 1899: B. O. Buzzaird, 1903: W. H. Jones,
1909.
EARLY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
As near as can be learned from the records the following served as
justices of the peace in Monroe county, down to 1836:
1 818 — James Bigger, William Matlock, William Edmundson, John
Barnes, William Chambers. Jonathan Nichols, James Wright, John Matlock.
1819 — William Hardin, James Borland.
1820 — Joseph Baugh and Joshua H. Ludes.
1 82 1 — Daniel Hawkins, Fllery Woodward and Samuel Dodd.
1823 — John Swift, James Mitchell. Isaac Pauley. Samuel Hartsock,
David Kellough. Elisha Pollard. James Crane. Joseph Reeves.
1824 — William Hardin.
1825 — Michael Buskirk. John Bowland. Mr. Banner. Mr. Brunnett,
William Jones. Joseph Baugh, Acquilla Rogers.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 255
1826 — Elzy Woodward.
1827 — James Mitchell, David Kellough, Elisha Pollard, Benjamin Chan-
dler, Jacob Mosser. David Borrow, James Wright.
1828 — William Hite, Alexander Buchanan.
1829 — James Crane, Joseph Reeves, G. H. Johnson, Isaac Buskirk. Isaac
Gillaspi, David Byers.
1830 — George Parks, Henry Burkett, Acquilla Rogers.
183 1 — W. B. Mars, James Kippe, Jesse Renow.
1832 — John W. Lee, James Snodgrass, Jonathan Rogers.
1833 — David Kellough. David Paddock, David Barrow, James Brum-
mett, John Davis, Benjamin Chandler. Samuel Mart^ck, John C. Marshall,
Jacob Hudsonkiller, Ezekiel Hendrickson.
1834 — Henry Berkley, D. G. Weddell. Alexander Buchanan, James
Crane, G. H. Johnson, Joseph Baugh.
1835— Alexander Johnson, Hugh McClung, Isaac Buskirk, Robert Hicks,
John McPhetridge. Emsley Wood, Joseph Mitchell.
183^-F. T. Butler. Andrew Wampler, John N. Berry, William Hite,
Elmon Walker, \\'illiam S. Wright. David Byers, Enos Blair.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER.^.
1818 — Bartlett Woodward, Michael Buskirk. James Parks.
1 81 9 — Elijah Morgan, vice Parks.
1820 — William Lowe, vice Buskirk.
1821 — Henry Batterton, Micliael Buskirk.
1822 — Elijah Morgan.
1823 — Joshua A. Lucas.
1824 — Henry Batterton. vice Lucas. In September. 1824, the justices
of the peace were em]:)Owered by law to transact the business previously done
by the county commissioners. In 183 1 the law was changed and three county
commissioners were in charge of the affairs of this county.
1831 — Joseph Reeves, Samuel Patten, \^'illiam Jackson.
1832 — Isaac W. Young, vice Jackson.
1833 — Elijah Morgan, vice Patten. In 1834 county business again
passed to the board of justices and so continued until 1839. since which time
three county commissioners have without interruption done the business.
In 1838 and 1839 as high as nineteen justices assembled to do the work
which has since been transacted by three men. Gideon \\^alker, 1830, for one
year; George Finley, 1839. for two years; Benjamin Rogers, 1839, for three
256 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
years; Isaac Buskirk, 1840; James Finley, 1841 ; Benjamin Rogers, 1842;
Benjamin Neeld, 1843; Isaac Buskirk, 1844; George Finley, 1845; Benja-
min Neeld, 1846; David Barrow, 1847; George Finley, 1848; John Graham,
1849; I- S. Buskirk, 1850; Joseph S. Walker, 1851; Henry Filer, 1852;
David Barrow, 1853; Benjamin Rogers. 1854; Henry Eller, 1855, David
Barrow, 1856; James Carmichael, 1857; Rueben Ward, 1858; Thomas Y.
Rader, 1859; James Carmichael, i860; James Small, 1861 ; David Barrow,
1862; Thomas Oliphant, 1863; George Eller, 1864; David Barrow, 1865;
Clelland F. Doods, i860; James Small, 1867; T. Y. Rader 1868; Samuel H.
Phillips, 1869; George Eller, 1870; John Hupp, 1871 ; F. M. Oliphant, 1872;
John Waldron, 1872; ^J/. E. Wood, 1874; R. M. Wylie, 1875; George Eller,
1876; William Peterson, 1877; J. D. Handy, 1878; John Huntington, 1879;
W. S. Walker, 1880; J. D. Handy, 1881 ; William B. Baker, 1882; B. P.
Burton, 1883; Gilmore and McCulla, 1886; Patterson and Clay; Gilmore and
Walker; Welch, Huntington and Sherlock, 1888; George W. Fletcher, James
M. Miller, 1896; James F. Eller, John Sure, 1898; James Davis, George East,
1900; James W. Davis, J. W. Miller, 1902; Jacob Miller, Samuel Bennett,
1904; B. F. Cooter, O. W. Butcher, 1906; O. L. Fletcher, L. Dunlap, 1908;
John C. Clay, L. Dunlap, 1910; W. S. Walker, S. Nisely, 1912.
LOCAL OPTION ELECTION, I909.
At the local option election held in Monroe county. May 25, 1909, the
number of votes for local option cast in the county was 2,619 and those cast
against the proposition was 2,200, giving a majority for local option of 419.
CHAPTER VII.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
While the stone industry is, perhaps, of more financial importance than
that of agriculture in Monroe county, yet as the early and manv of the later
years were blessed with the products of the soil in greater or less abundance,
this branch of industry should find a place in the annals of the county.
As will be observed later on in this chapter, the pioneers were enthusiastic
in the organization and maintainance of agricultural societies and county fair
associations.
In 1836. from the county auditor's reports it is gleaned that the county
then had 1,252 voters who paid poll tax ; it had 72.480 acres of cultivated land,
valued at $699,383.
The following statistical table will be admissible in this connection :
Townships. Polls.
Richland 181
Jackson 55
Perry 128
Bean Blossom 123
Clear Creek 76
Indian Creek 175
Salt Creek 85
Washington 60
Benton 66
Bloomington . 303
1.252 72,480 $ 699.383
In 1909 the state reports gave Monroe county the following array of
agricultural statistics, which bespeak much for this branch of industry. The
corn crop was 36,860 acres, producing in round numbers one million bushels,
or an average of about twenty-five bushels per acre : its value was placed at
$604,000.
(17) _ :
Cultivated
Value
Lands.
Lands.
20,435
$162,905
4,205
49,207
10.201
88.217
5.517
47.134
13.184
149,156
2,027
7-975
1,064
9,600
1,050
8,400
14.797
176,739
258 ^^ LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The wheat crop was placed at 16,444 acres, yielding 188,220 bushels,
the value of which was one dollar per bushel.
The oat crop was listed at 7,923 acres, with a total number of bushels
of 156,000, valued at $62,540.
The rye crop was only 72 acres, with a total of 826 bushels.
The barley crop was in 1909 one acre, producing 25 bushels, valued at
$21.
The buckwheat cro]) amounted to 25 acres, with a yield of 2^ bushels,
valued at $19.
The Irish potato crop was 348 acres, yielding 27,942 bushels, valued
at $14,000
The onion crop was five acres, yielding 616 bushels, valued at $370.
The tobacco cro]) was confined to three acres, vielding 375 pounds, valued
at $2().
The tomato crop was thirteen acres, yielding 31 tons, valued at $248.
Timothy hay, 11,000 tons; alfalfa, 72 tons; clover, 2,491 tons.
The number of horses on hand December 31. 1909, was placed at 3,998.
The number of mules and asses was 651 , valued at $73,000.
The inimber of gallons of milk ])roduccd was 2,228,000: butter, in pounds
353.40] .
The beef and stock cattle sold was 2,514, valued at $73,000.
The number of hogs over three months old was 5,375 ; died of disease,
266.
The sheep numbered 5.143: sold. 3,059: wool, 24,525 pounds, valued
at $4,764.
The number of hens and other fowls sold was 3,455 dozen; the average
number of laying hens was 4,524: dozens of eggs produced, 405,294.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
May, 1835, seems to have been the date of the first attempt to form an
agricultural society in Monroe county. By petition the county board of com-
missoners ordered that three hundred copies of a notice be published of a
meeting to be held at the old court house on the last Saturday in May, in pur-
suance of an act of the state Legislature, entitled "An Act for the Encourage-
ment of Agriculture," approved February 7, 1835. This call was for the pur-
pose of organizing an agricultural society. This meeting was held and there
was an excellent attendance, the result being the formation of a society, as
will be observed bv the following certificate: "We. Michael Buskirk, chair-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 259
man, and Craven P. Hester, secretary, of the Agricultural Society of Monroe
County aforesaid, certify that we were elected according to law for the offices
above mentioned, and that said society has elected its officers and organized
itself agreeably to the act of the Legislature entitled 'An Act for the En-
couragement of Agriculture.' appro\ed h'el:)ruar\- 7, 1835. Done on the last
Saturday of May, 1835. *>iven under our hands June 4, 1835.
"Michael Buskirk,
"C. P. Hester."
There appears no record, ur even a trace uf an intimation, that any-
thing further was done toward carrying out the original plans.
But about 1850 a society was formed here and one or possibly more an-
nual fairs were held, but no positive record appears of even these exhibits of
agriailtural products in the county. In 1855 the society was revived and it
is known that Austin Seward was its first president and Lewis Bollman its
secretary. The directors of this society were Henry Eller, Asher Labertew.
Austin Seward. W. S. Stormont, Joshua Shreve, Luke Sanders, Joseph
Bunger, James Givens, Edward Blakely, Richard Moore. Willis Spencer.
Monroe Houston. Thomas Payne and Lewis Bollman.
The first fair of this society was held at Bloomington. Wednesday and
Thursdav. Octol:)er 10 and 11. 1855. There were jiremiums offered on one
hundred and sixty-nine articles, covering all farm i)roducts. household ar-
ticles, implements of agriculture, live stock, fruits, vegetables and garden
products. No premiums ran higher than three dollars and none less than
fifty cents. The terms of admission were, per day, twenty cents ; each horse
and buggv. twentv cents ; single horse, ten cents ; children under ten years of
age. free.
The fair held in 1856 had receipts amounting to $333.20 and the deficit
at the close of the fair was recorded as $61.55.
equestrian fairs.
In 1857 ^ popular organization known as the Union Equestrian Society
was established. It was a district society, and was very well received and at-
tended for many years. It was alternately held at Gosport, Bloomington
and Bedford. A Miss Jackson won the first prizes for a number of years,
despite all opposers. The 1858 program read as follows:
"Open to- the World — Second annual fair of the Union Equestrian
Society, composed of Lawrence. Owen and Monroe counties, to be held at
26o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the District Fair Grounds, near Gosport, Indiana, on Thursday and Friday,
the 2 1 St and 22d of October, next, 1858. The exhibition grounds, contain-
ing thirteen acres, are the most beautiful in the state, well fenced in, with
two wells of water within the inclosure, and a splendid track for gaited
horses — three times around for one mile. Two hujidred and sixty-five
dollars in cash premiums! So bring on all your tine saddle horses, harness
and match horses. The premiums are worth competing for. A magnificent
premium will be awarded to the best and second best female equestrian. Also
to the best male equestrian. Young ladies and gentlemen from every sec-
tion are invited to be present and make an exhibition of their proficiency in
the art of horse management and equestrian merit. Certainly no art is
more desii"able than that of complete horsemanship, and every young lady
and gentleman in our proud Hoosier state can lay some just claim to profi-
ciency in the art. Come on, then; if you cannot make the display that 5'our
friends can, come and do your best, which is laudable."'
In these latter days of fast spinning automobiles and motorcycles, the
art of horse-back riding has been cast aside by both men and women except
in the larger cities, where it is still considered a great accomplishment and
excellent as a health giver to both sexes.
These earlier fairs were all held just to the east of Bloomington on
land owned at one time by Mr. Dunn, where a small yard was leased and
enclosed, but it was too small to admit of racing. Here annual fairs were
held until the opening of the Civil war, when all such matters were aban-
doned, men and women being all too busy in aiding the general government
in putting down the unholy Rebellion. In 1868, however, these county
fairs were resumed, and continued to be held, with few exceptions, each
year until in the eighties, when they went down again. The later fairs
were held on new grounds, west of Bloomington.
For various reasons, among which is the lack of interest, generally,
and more especially on account of the growing interest and magnitude of the
state fair, the county fair in more than sixty per cent, of the counties in
Indiana has ceased to exist, so far as practical utility and annual exhibitions
of stock, grain, fruits, grasses and the arts and domestic affairs is concerned.
It has been a number of years since a county fair in Monroe county has been
in the minds of the people, who really should have such things at heart.
CHAPTER VIII.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF MONROE COUNTY.
The pioneers were not so much absorbed in land entries and clearing
up farms that they neglected the education of their children, for it is found
that in the winter of 1 818-19, the same season that the town began its
existence, school was taught in the log court house. The first teacher was
probably Addison Smith. The next school was taught in a building erected
in the summer of 1819, at a point where later stood the old seminary. Two
years later another log school house had to be built in order to accommo-
date the rapidly growing village, it being located in the eastern portion of the
town. In 1822, or possibly 1823. the first brick building was erected for
school purposes, which, with the two log cabin buildings and other schools
taught at pri\ate homes, supplied the place with suitable schools for a num-
ber of years. In the thirties, forties and fifties other houses were provided
for schools, mostly, however, for the younger scholars. These schools were
all of the old style subscription order, that being before there was a free
school system in Indiana worthy of mention. Churches were frequently
used for school purposes, and the second stories of business blocks on the
Square w'ere rented for a series of vears Iw educators, who. in time, trans-
formed them into seats of learning. These schools were largely ior the
younger pupils, too young to enter the seminary or uni\ersity. Prof. D. E.
Hunter was prominent as a teacher in the fifties and on into the sixties. The
teachers of the schools were mostly young ladies, who were scattered
throughout the town in various improvised school houses. Xo grading was
attempted : scholars, large and small, attended the school nearest to their
residence, or where the "'school-mam"' or "master" was best liked by the
parents. Manv of these schools were of the highest excellence, l>eing taught
by graduates of the seminary or some unixersity from abroad. Not until
1863 — middle of the Ci\il war period — was there any attemj)! at grading
the schools here in Bloomington. Profess(^r Hunter being the first to lead
off in this important feature of education. A \mh\k meeting was held in
July. 1863. a large number being present. Professor Hunter explained the
character of a high school. Other meetings were held and the first term of a
262 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
graded school in the countv was opened early in September, with Professor
Hunter as principal : assistants in the old Baptist church were Miss Mattie
Cherry. Miss Lizzie Anderson and Miss Laura Verbryke; assistants in the
new building, Miss M. McCalla ; assistant in the Second Presbyterian church,
Miss Mary Anderson, Professor .Hunter held sway in the "new building,"
which was none other than the old tannery, then standing on the site of
what was later the high school building. Milton Hite was trustee and an-
nounced that the school system was "free to all in the incorporation.'" It
was necessary to increase the school fund by several hundred dollars, which
amount was secured by subscription among the citizens.
Soon after the school started, another primary department was estab-
lished with Mrs. S. S. Getzendanner as teacher. The old Center school
house, as it was so long styled, was used, also a frame building on Seventh
street, between Lincoln and Grant streets. The old tannery building was
thoroughly titted up and four departments were instituted in 1864. This
seems to have been about the state of affairs until the high school building
was begun in 1871 and completed in 1875. costing fifty thousand dollars.
Here should be mentioned such principals and superintendents as Profs. D.
E. Hunter, E. P. Cole, G. W. Lee, James M. Wilson, W. R. Houghton and
Miss M. H. McCalla.
VARIOUS TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS.
In Perry township, where the schools were reported forty years ago as
being superior to any other in the country districts of Monroe county,
schools were commenced in the twentie.s — one in the neighborhood of the
Pauleys and one in the southwestern corner of the township. By 1854 not
less than five houses were standing in which school was taught, all being
log structures. In e\'ery advancement. Perry was first to adopt advanced
methods, and in 1883 there were eight school houses, and more of them
brick than in any other section of the county. The six brick buildings in 1883
in one township in this county w as indeed a monument to the good sense of
Perry's people in educational matters. These buildings were mostly twenty-
four by thirty feet in size.
In Bean Blossom township the first school was taught in the Putnam
neighborhood, about 1828, by a Mr. Taylor. The house was a log cabin,
vacated by some pioneer settler. A school was, about that date, started in
the Buskirk vicinity. In 1836 there were four schools established — one east
of Mt. Tabor, one west of that place, one a mile and a half south of Stines-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 263
ville, and the fourth three miles west of the last named \illagc. In 1846
there were six schools in the township. Three famous teachers during the
decade of the thirties were Eusel>ius, Euraneus and Ambrose Hinkle, broth-
ers, who were sons of wealthy slave-holders of 'i'ennessee. All were fine
young men. The elder of these was a Lutheran minister and used to preach
the Word of Life to German members of his cinn-ch, who could not well
understand English. Clinton C. Owens was another well educated and
polished teacher of pronounced success. In 1880 this townshi]) had nine
good frame school houses, all about twenty b\ twent\"-f()ur feet.
In Richland township the first school was taught during the winter of
1822-23, in a log cabin which stood about where later was Ijuilt the residence
of William Draper. The building was of round logs and a huge fireplace
graced its enclosure. It took in logs six feet long and as big as could well
be rolled into place. A log of the walls was cut out on the south side, over
which greased paper was placed instead of window glass, which was then
but little in use in this part of the West. The first teacher, William Raw-
lins, was also the county's first treasurer. The term of school was three
months. Manv prominent men there learned the rudiments of their later
higher education. The building referred to was used about five years. Porter
Edmundson built at his (^wn expense the next building and in it he taught
school. Benjamin Reeves taught in the southern portion of the township
in 1823-24. In 1856 the township had eight school buildings, some being
good frame structures. In 1880 the reports show that the township had five
frame and two good brick buildings. In Ellettsville. prior to 1855, variovis
buildings were used for school purposes, and at that time a new building of
frame, with two rooms, was erected, and used till the brick building was
built at a cost of seven thousand dollars. It was built by the township a'nd
was occupied by five good instructors.
In Van Buren township the first school was taught about 1824. at what
afterwards Ix^came known as Harmony, Jonathan Nichols I)eing the first
teacher. The building was a vacated log cabin of a pioneer, who had moved
away from the county. Probably the next schools were held at the \illage
of Harmony, under the supervision of the "Blue Springs Community" (see
account of this community elsewhere). In 1828 a school was started in the
southeast part of the township, and one al)out 1830 in the north ])arl. In
1847 there were eight schools in this township. With the enacting of the
1853 school laws, new buildings went up here and there in this township,
and delighted were both pupils and patrons, and teachers as well. In 1880
264 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
81 the reijorts show the township to have had eight good frame school
houses, all twenty-two by twenty-eight feet in size.
In Indian Creek township it is believed the first school was taught near
the cabin home of Elmore Walker, about 1824. and it is certain that another
was taught in the Burch neighborhood and one in the Dick neighborhood
about that date. Two of these schools were held in vacated log cabins.
Winter schools were the rule then. The Burches were among the earliest
teachers. In 1846 the township had five school houses and ten years later
eight were found, all prosperous for the day in which they existed. In
1880-81 the township had nine excellent frame school houses and nine
school districts. From that date on the schools have kept pace with the
advancement in state educational and public school afifairs.
In Clear Creek township the first school was probably taught in 1822
near the old Woodward homestead, a short distance south of present Smith-
ville. It was held in a vacated log cabin. Another early school was near
Fairfax, and still another in the Rogers settlement. The Chambers were the
founders of a school about 1830. In 1840 the old log school house at Har-
rodsburg was erected and used for both school and church purposes. A
school was taught at F'airfax in 1838. The Harrodsburg building was
burned in 1851, when a small frame store building took its place. Dr.
James Beatley, who was a l>etter teacher than physician, was among the
pioneer instructors. A l^etter, larger two-stor}" frame building was pro-
vided at Harrodsburg, at a cost of one thousand dollars, in Civil war days.
In 1881 the township had nine frame school houses, twent)- bv twenty-six
feet in size, and there were nine districts.
In Washington township, during the thirties, in the Colier and Bales
neighborhoods, there were probably the first schools of the township. These
schools were taught in the rudest of rude school buildings — simply pole
cabins, and in which the children of two. or sometimes three families as-
sembled for instruction. Then it was that children in this part of the coun-
try went to school w^inter and summer barefooted. The child would get
so used to going without foot protection that the foot became hard and
calloused. Sometimes, on severe winter mornings the child might heat a sea-
soned hickory board by the fire at home and fasten it to his foot, then start
on the run for the school house. These incidents actually happened in sev-
eral neighborhoods in Washington township in the pioneer days. By 1880
the township had become fully equipped with good school houses, of which
the reports say there were eight, all frame structures. Today one visiting
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 265
this section of the county would scarce beheve that such hardships as have
been recited could ever have transpired in the township.
In Benton township the first school was taught near the residence of
Hugh McClung about 1838. The next was in the southern part of the
township, and the third near what is now the village of Unionville. In the
first school named were the children of early settlers — the Coxes, Richard-
sons, Robinsons, Youngs, Mosiers, McClungs. Alexanders and others. By
1856 the township had been provided with five fairly constructed school
buildings. In 1881 there were eight good frame buildings and an average
attendance of about thirty-six in each district. Since then the school system
here, in common with all other Monroe townships, has materially improved.
In Polk township the first school was taught in the vicinity of the
Todds, early in the forties ; the name of the teacher has long since passed
from the memory of those now living there. The house was of unhewed
logs, and had been built by some squatter who had sickened of the country
and left for greener pastures — to do better, or perchance worse! In 1856
the township had only four school buildings. Mr. Todd donated the land on
section 26 for a school house, and William Hunter the land for a school on
section 31, range 2 east; the latter included the fine spring of water near by.
Early in the fifties the Methodist church, called Chapel Hill, was organized
in this neighborhood. In 1880 the township had seven frame and two poor
log school houses, with an average attendance of thirty-seven pupils.
In Marion township schools were not established until late in the forties,
and even then thev were few and poorly conducted anil attended. The
first houses were of logs, rudely built, and were indeed uninviting places
until cold weather came on. when the huge fireplaces were filled with roaring
logs of hipkory and birch, casting a deep, dark red glow on the dingy walls.
Early in the fifties a good school was opened in the Hendrickson neighbor-
hood, and for a time was the onl}- really good common school conducted in
the township. Later, one equally as good was opened in the northern part
of the township, in the Stepp neighborhood. In 1879 there were five fairly
good schools within this township. The early residents in the southern por-
tion were compelled to attend school at Unionville, in order to get the relig-
ious instruction desired by the parents.
THE MONROE COUNTY SEMINARY (FOR FEMALES).
This institution was organized as soon as the county itself was, though
no building was erected until 1835. The funds from fines, penalties, etc..
266 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
had continued to accumulate until at the time of the erection of the house
ihey amounted to about two thousand dollars. The building was commenced
in 1832 or 1833, and finished in 1835. Before that, however, aside from
the Indiana College (now the University), Professor Pering had estab-
lished in Bloomington a female institute, which grew into a considerable
school. It will be remembered that at that date no females were admitted
into the'i Indiana University (College), hence the demand upon the part of
women for a schooling place for their sex.
It was this sentiment that caused the Legislature to establish the Mon-
roe County Female Seminary, with the following persons as incorporators;
John Borland, John Hight, William Alexander, James D. Robertson, Fred-
erick T. Butler, Austin Seward. Richard Hardesty, Fllis Stone and John
Graham. The building erected in 1835 was a brick structure thirty by fifty
feet, two stories high, containing two large halls, and four smaller rooms.
The trustees ordered that all doors and windows be thrown open at inter-
mission for proper ventilation. Single desks were ordered to take the place
of the long benches. The first principal was Prof. Cornelius Pering, A. M.,
a professional teacher direct from London, England. He had been well
educated at the Royal Academy of London, and was thoroughly qualified
for the duties he was called to perform here in Bloomington. From the
summer of 1835 to 1842 nearly four hundred young ladies finished this
seminarv course. In all, eight hundred girls and misses attended this in-
stitution. The average attendance each term was about sixty.
Following Professor Pering came, in 1849, Mrs. E. J. McFerson. under
whom the school was greatly improved in many ways peculiar to a woman's
instruction of ladies. The school was the pride of the town and the faithful
instructor was fairly .idolized by all in the community. In 1857 Mrs. Mc-
Ferson was succeeded by Prof. E. P. Cole, who had charge until 1863. when
the high school system obtained for the first time in the history of this county.
A few years more and the old seminary building was converted into a dwell-
ing house and the history of the institution was ready to be written.
BLOOMINGTON FEMALE COLLEGE.
The law of 1852-53 provided for the sale of county seminaries and the
transfer of the proceeds to the common school fund. The Methodists of
Bloomington had talked some time of founding an academy or seminary
of their denomniation at Bloomington, and purchased the old seminary at
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. « 267
auction, but before the deed was signed it was learned that the title possibly
might be defective, hence the sale fell through, but the church went ahead
and organized the Bloomington Female College, using their church building
for the purpose. Rev. T. H. Sinex was the first president, and was suc-
ceeded in 1856 by Rev. M. M. Tooks. A large college boarding hall was
kept on Sixth street between Walnut and \\'ashington. In 1858 Rev. A. D.
Lynch succeeded Rev. Tooks as president of the college. He remained
until the breaking out of the Civil war, when the institution closed forever.
CHANGE OF PUBLIC .SENTIMENT.
Strange as it seems to us today, the truth is that the people of Indiana,
generally, including the citizens of Monroe county, did not favor the adop-
tion of the new cherished free school s\steni, as is seen by the following re-
turns of the election held over that issue in 1849 •
» For Free Against Free
Townships. Schools. Schools.
Bean Blossom 59 112
Benton 44 41
Bloomington 128 307
Clear Creek 76 85
Indian Creek 40 loi
Marion 16 35
Richland 59 128
Perry 127 20
Salt Creek 39 60
Van Buren ~ 1 43 113
W^ashingron 36 38
(y6~ 1 .040
Majority against iy2>
Not until the close of the Civil war did educational interests make any
marked headway under the new school laws of the state. But when once
understood and tested out, the system of free schools was greatly appre-
ciated, notwithstanding there had been many "Doubting Thomases" in the
county, as has been indicated by the above \ote b)- townships.
268 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
SCHOOLS OF 1 91 3.
According to a digest from the annual report of the county school su-
perintendent, the following showing was made at the end of the school year
in 1913:
Pupils of
Elementary Teachers
and High below High
Corporation. School. School. Buildings.
Bean Blossom 400 15 10
Benton 207 9 9
Bloomington 370 10 , 9
Clear Creek 417 12 8
Indian Creek 212 9 9
Marion 74 5.5
Perry 385 10 8
Polk 265 9 9
Richland 187 8 8
Salt Creek 229 8 8
Van Buren 322 10 9
Washington 173 9 9
Total 3-241 114 loi
Ellettsville (town) 177 5 2
Bloomington (city) 2,226 42 7
Grand total 5.664 161 no
Perhaps no more fitting estimate of the Bloomington schools of this
date can l)e had than to quote the language of the Commercial Club in its
beautiful, well compiled souvenir issued in 1912, which reads as follows:
The city of Bloomington believes in supporting well its public school
system. The history of the school from the time of its organization up to
the present reveals this fact. Aside from supplying the schools with a
maximum support from taxation, the community has on various occasions
made individual donations for special purposes, such as decorating play-
grounds and e(|uipping the same, also furnishing pictures. In addition to all
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 269
this the patrons by their visits and encouragement ha\e evidenced their
interest and their faith in the schools.
It is this interest and this faith that has helped to build up and maintain
the present educational standards here that demand well qualified school
officials and teachers. The high school qualifications of school board mem-
bers, and of teachers throughout the history of the schools, has been no acci-
dent. At present seventy per cent, of the teaching corps throughout the
whole system are graduates of universities, colleges or normal schools. The
high school faculty of sixteen members is composed entirely of graduates.
A minimum requirement for appointment in the grades is successful ex-
perience and two years' academic w ork in addition to gratluation from high
school.
Another factor that has figured in the maintenance of a good school
spirit and standard in Bloomington is the presence of the State University,
where all connected with the public schools have access to the university
library and can frequently arrange to attend lectures. There has been at
work, too, for many years, a spirit of co-operation between the department
of education in the university and the public schools of the city, which has
resulted in mutual benefit. In connection with the university a plan has
been worked out wherebv pupils who need special attention more than the
teacher of the room is al^le to give, can receive outside individual help, free
of charge. Each summer, too. from seventy-five to one hundred of the city's
two thousand pupils are in school from six to eight weeks, strengthening
themselves in weak places, or getting assistance in making up a part or all of
a grade. In this way Blooinington has been able to do a great deal toward
adapting its schools to the special needs and opportunities connected with
this particular community. This adaptation is further seen in the provision for
promotion for subjects instead of by grades in the eighth year, by the intro-
duction of commercial subjects in the high school, of manual training in
grades, and of Latin, with special groups, in the grades.
In t|ie matter of supervision of work, things are so organized that the
principals of the buildings give from one-fourth to one-half of their time
in the general oversight of the work. Drawing, music and manual training
are in charge of special supervisors.
The buildings, though not all of recent construction, are supplied with
modern heating plants and are in a satisfactory sanitary condition. With
only one exception, each building is on a lot large enough to afford ample
play-ground, the grounds ranging from a quarter of a block to ten acres in
270 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
extent. These grounds are being rapidly equipped with play ground appara-
tus. Supplementary material in way of readers, text-books, reference books,
maps, globes, etc., have been generously supplied.
The fine spirit of support that the community is giving its school sys-
tem makes the new undertaking of new educational problems promising.
More than that, it provides teachers capable of and willing to cope with new
conditions and new problems. It accounts also for the excellent spirit of
the pupils, a spirit of co-operation and of work. Bloomington feels, there-
fore, that she has in her schools an inducement to offer to those that are con-
sidering a change of location.
■).\r.,i,i^
CHAPTER IX. • • • !
INDIANA UNIVERSITY. •
Bloomington, Alonroe count}-, is the seat of the Indiana State Univer-
sity. Much has been written concerning this great educational institution
which has sent out and is from year to year continuing to send forth to the
world many men who ha\e and will in the future become potent factors for
great good to the world at large, perforce of the training they have received
at this place. For the purpose of making a proper record of the university
in the annals of the county in which it is situated, the following is deemed
sut^cient.
In 1838 an act was passed by the Legislature to establish a university
in the state and John Law. of Knox county. Robert Dale Owen, of Posey
county, Richard W. Thompson, of Lawrence county, Samuel R. Hosovuer,
of Wayne county, P. C. Dunning, James Blair, Joshua O. Howe, Chesley D.
Baile}-. A\'illiam Turner and Lero}- Mayfield, of Monroe county, were ap-
pointed trustees to make the change from the Indiana College to the Indiana
University. The history of the old seminary and college that preceded it
will be found later on in this chapter.
The above board of trustees met May 24, 1838. elected Paris C. Dun-
ning president of the board, and James D. Maxwell, secretary, and made
such changes as they deemed necessary. A new building was erected of
brick and the course of study was widened. Andrew Wylie. D. D.. served
as president until his death in 1851. when for two years Theophilus A.
Wylie, Daniel Reed and Alfred Ryors acted as such. In 1853 William M.
Daily was appointed president, serving until 1858, when serious trouble
arose and he resigned. On All Fool's day^ 1854, the college Imilding was
destroyed by fire, which loss embarrassed the institution very materially, as
not only were the recitation rooms gone, but a ^'aluable library of rare works
was burned. It is supposed this fire was caused by an incendiary. The
citizens at once went to work to rai.se funds for a new buildidig. They re-
ceived a meager sum from the state, and in 1859 completed the building that
was still standing in 1883, and used by the university of that date. It stood
on the old campus south of town.
2/2 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
After the resignation of President Daily, in 1858, T. A. Wylie acted
as such for a year, and John H. Lathrop for a year, or until i860, when
Cyrus Nutt was appointed, the latter serving from i860 to 1875. ^^ the
year last named Lemuel Moss, D. D., LL. D., was chosen president, in which
capacity he served until 1884 and was succeeded by Dr. David Starr Jordan.
, The fine brick building, erected on the old campus late in the seventies
for the use of the scientific department, was destroyed by lightning in July,
1883, incurring a loss of about three hundred thousand dollars. The library,
of twelve thousand volumes, the Owen collection of fossils, etc., and other
valuable articles were also destroyed. In 1883 the trustees of the university
purchased a tract of twenty acres in Dunn's woods, fronting Fifth street,
and made preparations to erect thereon two brick buildings, one for the main
university edifice and another for the scientific department. This twenty-
acre tract cost six thousand dollars. This appears to have been the brief his-
tory up to the autumn of 1883.
From year books, historical accounts, and various information pub-
lished by authority of the state, and from personal interviews with those in
authority at the university in the summer of 1913, the following is the con-
densed history of this institution, of which Bloomington, Monroe county
and all the great commonwealth of Indiana take a just pride :
FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
The legislation which led to the founding of Indiana University begins
M'ith t\\ o acts of Congress setting aside portions of the public domain, within
the limits of the present state of Indiana, for the endowment of an institution
of higher learning. The first of these is an act, approved March 26, 1804,
for the disposal of the public lands in the Indiana territory ; in it provision
is made for the reservation '"of an entire township in each of the three
described tracts of country or districts [Detroit. Kaskaskia. and Vincennes],
to be located by the secretary of the treasury, for the use of a seminary of
learning." The second is the act of April 16, 1816, which provides for the
admission into the Union of the district of Vincennes as the state of In-
diana; in this an additional township is set aside "for the use of a seminary
of learning, and vested in the Legislature of said state, to be appropriated
solely to the uses of such seminary by the said Legislature." These two
seminary townships for Indiana were chosen as follows : One in what is
now Gibson county, October 10, 1806, by Albert Gallatin as secretary of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 273
treasury; the other by President Madison, in i8i6, in wliat is now Monroe
county.
VINCENNE.S UNIVERSITY.
The first act of local legislation looking toward a university in Indiana
was the act of the Territorial Legislature,' approved November 9, 1806. estab-
lishing in the borough of Vincennes "an university * * * to be known
by the name and style of The Vincennes University."' and appropriating to
its use the township of land reserved by the act of Congress of 1804. Owing
to a number of causes the institution thus founded did not prosper, so that
when the Indiana Seminary, which was later to become the Indiana Univer-
sity, was established, the General Assembly turned over to it the Gibson
county lands, together with the township of land in Monroe county. This
action led to a long and tedious litigation, which resulted finallv in a verdict
of the supreme court of the United States, in 1852, in favor of Vincennes
University. To compensate the urliversity for the loss of endowment thus
sustained. Congress granted to the state nineteen thousand and forty acres
of public land in Indiana "for the use of the Indiana University.'' (Act of
February 23, 1854.)
In the Constitution of the state, adopted in 1816 upon its admission to
the Union, the following provisions occur with respect to education :
, ARTICLE IX.
Section i. Kjiowledge and learning, generally diffused through a com-
munity, being essential to the preservation of a free government, and spread-
ing the opportunities and advantages of education through the various parts
of the country being highly conducive to this end, it shall be the duty of the
General Assembly to provide by law, for the improvement of such lands as
are, or hereafter may be granted by the United States to this state for the
use of schools, and to apply any funds which may be raised from such lands,
or from any other quarter, to the accomplishment of the grand object for
which they are or may be intended : But no lands granted for the use of
schools or seminaries of learning, shall be sold by authority of this state, prior
to the year eighteen hundred and twenty ; and the monies which may be raised
out of the sale of any such lands or otherwise obtained for the purpose
aforesaid, shall be and remain a fund for the exclusive purpose of promoting
the interest of literature and the sciences, and for the support of seminaries
(18)
274 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and public scliools. The General Assembly shall, from time to time, pass
such laws as shall be calculated to encourage Intellectual, scientific, and agri-
cultural improvement, by allowing rewards and immunities for the promo-
tion and improvement of arts, sciences, commerce, manufactures, and natural
history; and to countenance and encourage the principles of humanity, in-
dustry and morality.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly, as soon as cir-
cumstances will i>ermit, to provide by law, for a general system of education,
ascending in a regular graduation from township schools to a state university,
wherein tuition shall be gratis, and equally open to all.
SEMINARY FOUNDED.
In accordance with this provision of the Constitution, the General As-
sembly, by an act passed and approved January 20, 1820, took the first defi-
nite step toward the establishing of the Indiana University. The act is as
follows : .
AN ACT to establish a State Seininary. and for other purposes.
[Appro\ed January 20, 1820.]
Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana,
that Charles Dewey, Jonathan Lindley, David H. Maxwell. John M. Jenkins,
Jonathan Nichols and William Lowe be, and they are hereby appointed trus-
tees of the State Seminary, for the state of Indiana, and shall be known by
the name and style of the trustees of the State Seminary of the State of In-
diana, and they, and their successors in office, shall have perpetual succession,
and by the name and style aforesaid, shall be able and capable in law, to sue,
and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer, and be answered unto, as a
bod}- corporate and politic, in any court of justice: and the trustees hereby
appointed shall continue in office until the first day of January, one thousand'
eight hundred and twentv-one, and until their successors are chosen and
cjualified.
Sec. 2. The trustees aforesaid, or a majority of them, shall meet at
Bloomington, in the county of Monroe, on the first Monday in June next, or
so soon thereafter as may be convenient, and being first duly sworn to dis-
charge the duties of their office, shall repair to the reserved township of land
in said county, which was granted by Congress to this state for the use of a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 275
seminary of learning, and proceed to select an eligible and convenient site for
a state seminary.
Sec. 3. It shall be lawful for the trustees hereby appointed to appoint
an agent, who shall give bond with security to be approved of by the trustees
aforesaid, payable to the governor and his successors in office, for the use
of the State Seminary aforesaid, in the sum of twenty thousand dollars,
conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of his office; and it
shall be the duty of the agent aforesaid, after taking an oath of office, to
proceed to lay off and expose to sale, under the sanction of the trustees
aforesaid, any number of lots, or quantity of land, within the reserved town-
ship, aforesaid, and contiguous to Bloomington, not exceeding one section,
or six hundred and forty acres thereof.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the agent aforesaid, first to expose to
sale, such lots as may be selected most contiguous to the site which mav be
selected for the seminary aforesaid, and take of the purchase of any lots of
lands which he may sell, under the provisions of this act, such pavments and
security therefor, as may be directed by the trustees as aforesaid.
Sec. 5. The trustees aforesaid, shall, so soon as they deem it expedient,
proceed to the erection of a suitable building for a state seminarv, as also
a suitable and commodious house for a jirofessor, on the site which mav be
selected by them for that purpose.
Sec. 6. The trustees aforesaid, shall within ten (ia\'s after tiie meeting
of the next General Assemljly, lav before them a true and perfect statement
of their proceedings so far as thev ]ia\'e ])rogressed under the provisions of
this act. and a plat of the lots or lands laid (iff and sold, and the amount of
the proceeds of such sales, and also a plan of buildings, by them erected, or
proposed to be erected.
Sec. 7. The trustees herebv appointed, shall before the\' enter upon
the duties of their office, give bond and security, to be a])proved of b}- the
governor, in the sum of five thousand dollars, ])ayable to the governor and
his successors in office, for the use of the State Seminary, conditioned for
the faithful performance of the duties of their office; and if any vacancy
shall happen in the office of trustees, the governor shall fill such vacancy
bv an appointment which shall expire on the first da}" of January next.
THE TITLE CHANGED.
As a result of this legislation the new seminary was opened in May,
1824.. "^Vithin three years it had made such progress in number of students
2-j6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
and the general character of its work that a board of visitors, appointed by
the General Assembly in 1827, recommended that the Indiana Seminarv- be
raised to the dignity of a college. This recommendation, approved b\- Gov-
ernor Ray in his annual message, induced the General Assembly to pass the
following act :
AN ACT to establish a College in the State of Indiana.
[Approved January 24. 1828.]
Sectiun I . Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana,
that there shall be, and hereby is created and established a college, adjacent
to the town of Bloomington, in the count}^ of Monroe, for the education of
youth in the American, learned, and foreign languages, the useful arts,
sciences, and literature, to be known by the name and style of the Indiana
College, and to be governed and regulated as hereinafter directed.
Sec. 2. There shall be a board of trustees appointed, consisting of
fifteen persons, residents of this state, who shall be. and hereby are con-
stituted a body corporate and politic, by the name of "The trustees of the
Indiana College," and in their said corporate name and capacity may sue and
be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any court of record, and by that name
shall have perpetual succession.
Sec. 3. The said trustees shall till all vacancies which may happen in
their own body, elect a president of the board, secretary, treasurer, and such
other officers as mav be necessarv for the good order and government of said
corporation, and shall be competent at law and in equity to take to them-
selves and their successors, in their said corporate name, any estate, real,
personal, or mixed bv the .gift, grant, bargain, sale, conveyance. wiU. devise
or bequest of any person or persons whomsoever, and the same estate, whether
real or personal, to grant, bargain, sell, convey, devise, let. place out on inter-
est, or otherwise dispose of, for the use of said college, in such man-
ner as to them shall seem most beneficial to the institution, and to receive the
rents, issues, profits, income and interest thereon, and apply the same to the
proper use and support of the said college, and generally, in their said cor-
porate name, shall have full power to do and transact all and ever\- business
touching or concerning the premises, or which shall be incidentally neces-
sary thereto, as fully and effectually as any natural person, body politic or
corporate may or can do. in the management of their own concerns, and to
hold, enjoy, exercise and use the rights, powers and privileges incident to
bodies politic or corporate, in law and in equity.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 277
Sec. 4. The said trustees shall cause to be made for their use, one
common seal, with such devices and inscriptions thereon as they shall think
proper, under and by which all deeds, diplomas, certificates and acts of the said
corporation shall pass and be authenticated.
Sec. 7. The said board of trustes shall, from time to time, as the in-
terests of tlie institution may require, elect a president of said college, and
such professors, tutors, instructors, and other officers of the same, as they
may judge necessary for the interests thereof, and shall determine the duties,
salaries, emoluments, responsibilities, and tenures of their several offices, and
designate the course of instruction in said college.
Sec. 9. The president, professors, and tutors, shall be styled the faculty
of said college; which faculty shall have the power of enforcing the rules and
regulations adopted by the said trustees for the goxernment of the students,
by rewarding or censuring them, and finally by suspending such as, after
repeated admonition, shall continue refractory, until a determination of a
quorum of the trustees can be had thereon; and of granting and conferring,
by and with the approbation and consent of the board of trustees, such de-
grees in the liberal arts and sciences as are usually granted and conferred in
other colleges in America, to the students of the college, or others who by
their proficiency in learning or other meritorious distinction may be entitled
to the same, and to grant unto such graduates, diplomas, or certificates,
under their common seal, and signed by the faculty to authenticate and per-
petuate the memory of such graduations.
Sec. 10. No president, professor, or other officer of the college, shall,
whilst acting in that capacity, be a trustee, nor shall any president, professor,
tutor, instructor, or other officer of the college e\er be required by the trus-
tees to profess any particular religious opinions, and no student shall be
denied admission, or refused any of the privileges, honors, or degrees of the
college, on account of the religious opinions he may entertain, nor shall any
sectarian tenets or principles be taught, instructed or inculcated at said col-
lege by any president, professor, student, tutor or instructor thereof.
Sec. 12. That all moneys arising from the sale of the seminary town-
ships, in the counties of Monroe and Gibson, shall be and forever remain a
permanent fund, for the support of said college, and the interest arising from
the amount of said sales, together with the three resented sections in the
seminary township, situated in the county of Monroe, and all the buildings
which have been erected adjacent to the town of Bloomington, in said coun-
tv of Monroe, for the use of the State Seminary, with all the real and per-
2/8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
soiial property of every description belonging to or connected Avith the said
State Seminary, as the property of the state, and all gifts, grants and dona-
tions which have been or hereafter may be made for the support of the col-
lege, shall be, and hereby are forever vested in the aforesaid trustees and
their successors, to be controlled, regulated and appropriated by them in
such manner as they shall deem most conducive to the best interests and pros-
perity of the institution : Provided, That the said trustees shall conform to
the will of any donor or donors in the application of any estate which may be
given, de\'ised or bequeathed for any particular object connected with the
institution, and that the real estate hereby vested in the said trustees and their
successors, shall be by them held forever for the use of the said college, and
shall not be sold or converted by them to any other use whatsoever.
Sec. 1 6. That the constitution of the said college herein and hereby
declared and established, shall lie and remain the in\-iolal)le constitution of
said college, and the same shall not be changed, altered or amended by any
law or ordinance of the said trustees, nor in any other manner than by the
Legislature of this state.
■ TITLE CHANGED TO UNIVERSITY.
The continued growth and increasing importance of the institution led
the General Assembly, in 1838, to confer upon it the name and style of the
Indiana University. The material portions of this, the third charter of the
University, are as follows :
AN ACT to establish a University in the State of Indiana.
[Approved February 15, 1838.]
Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of In-
diana, that there shall be, and hereby is created and established a university
adjacent to the town of Bloomington, in the county of Monroe, for the edu-
cation of youth in the American, learned and foreign languages, the useful
arts, sciences (including law and medicine) and literature, to be known by
the name and style of the "Indiana University," and to be governed and
directed as hereinafter directed.
Sec. 2. There shall be a Iward of trustees appointed, consisting of
twenty-one persons, residents of the state, who shall be, and hereby are cori-
stituted a body corporate and politic, by the name of "the trustees of the In-
diana University," and in their corporate name and capacity, may sue and
LA.WRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 279
be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any ccjurt of record, and by that name
shall have perpetual succession.
Sec. 12. That all moneys which ha\e heretofore or which may herein-
after arise from the sales of the seminary townships of land in the counties
of Monroe and Gibson, shall be and forever remain a permanent fund for the
support of said university, and the interest arising from the amount of said
sales, together with the amiount of the sales of the three reserved sections in
the seminary township, situated in the county of Monroe, the residue of the
unsold sections aforesaid, and in all the buildings which have been erected
adjacent to the town of Bloomington, in said county of Monroe, and which
are now used by and belong to the Indiana College, together with all the es-
tate, whether real, personal, or of any description whatever, belonging to,
or in any wise connected with the Indiana College, as the property of the
state, and all gifts, grants and donations which have been or may hereafter
be made, previous to the taking effect of this act, for the support of the
Indiana College, shall be and hereby are forever \ested in the aforesaid trus-
tees, and their successors, to be controlled, regulated, and appropriated by
them in such manner as they shall deem most conducive to the best interest
and prosperity of the institution: Provided, that the said trustees shall con-
form to the will of any donor or donors in the application of any estate which
may be given, devised or bequeathed for any particular object connected with
the institution, and that the real estate hereby vested in the said trustees, and
their successors, shall be by them held forever for the use of said university,
and shall not be sold or convertefl by them to any other use whatsoever.
*********
Sec. 15. That the power and authority of the present trustees of the
Indiana College, over and concerning the said institution, the funds, estate,
property, rights and demands thereof shall forever cease and determine,
from and after the organization of the board of trustees of [the] Indiana
University named in this act ; and all the funds, estate, property, rights,
demands, privileges and immunities, of what kind or nature so ever, be-
longing or any wise pertaining" to said Indiana College, shall be and the
same are hereby invested in the trustees of [the[ Indiana University ap-
pointed by this act, and their successors in office, for the uses and pur-
poses only of said university, and the said trustees and their successors in
office shall have, hold and possess, and exercise all the powers and authority
28o lAVVRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
over the said institution and tlie estate and concerns thereof in the manner
hereinbefore prescribed.
Between the years 1838 and 185 1 a number of acts relating to the uni-
versity were passed by the General Assembly. Of these most are concerned
with the sale of the seminary lands and with similar matters; but one, the
act of February 15, 1841, reduces the number of trustees to nine, exempts
students at the university from military duty and road taxes, and denies to
the civil courts of the state jurisdiction of "trivial breaches of the peace com-
mitled by the students of said university within the college campus."
CHARTER OF 1 852.
In the constitutional convention of 1851 the question of the relation of
the state to the Indiana University had arisen, but no explicit statement was
incorporated in the constitution as adopted. At the first session of the General
Assembly, after the adjournment of the convention, it was therefore thought
desirable to have an explicit statement concerning the matter. To this end
the following act was passed, which may be regarded as the fourth charter
of the university, and the one by which in the main the university is still
governed :
AN ACT providing for the yovcrnuient of the State University, the manage-
ment of its Funds and for the disposition of the Lands thereof.
[Approved June 17, 1852.]
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of In-
diana, tliat the institution established by an act entitled "an act to establish a
college in the State of Indiana," approved January 28. 1828, is hereby rec-
ognized as the universitv of the state.
^ -.\: ^ ^ * * ^ * *
Sec. 5. The trustees of the said university shall receive the proceeds of
the sales and rents of the three reserved sections in the seminary township in
xVIonroe county, and the same shall be paid to the treasurer of said trustees,
on their order.
* * * *•* * * * *
Sec. 7. The president, professors and instructors shall be styled "The
Faculty'' of said university, and shall have power :
First. To enforce the regulations adopted by the trustees for the gov-
ernment of the students.
I-AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 281
Second. To which end they may reward and censure, and may suspend
those who continue refractory, until a determination of the board of trustees
can be had thereon.
Third. To confer, with the consent of the trustees, such hterary de-
grees as are usuaUy conferred in other universities, and in testimony thereof
to give suitable diplomas, under the seal of the university and signature of
the faculty.
Sec. 8. Nu religious qualihcations shall be , required for any student,
trustee, president, professor, or other officer of such university, or as a con-
dition for admission to any privilege in the same.
Sec. 13. The governor, lieutenant-governor, speaker of the House of
Representatives, judges of the supreme court, and superintendent of common
schools, shall constitute a board of visitors of the university, and any three
thereof a quorum.
Sec. 14. In case the members of such board of visitors fail to attend
the annual commencement exercises of the university, the president of the
board of trustees shall report such of them as are absent to the next General
Assembly in their annual report.
UNIVERSITY FUNDS.
The funds of the university, in its earlier days, were derived almost
v^'holly from the proceeds of the seminary lands, from gifts, and from fees
paid by students. In 1867, by an act approved March 8, the General Assem-
bly provided for the increase of these funds by an annual appropriation.
"Whereas," the act reads, "the endowment fund of the State University,
located at Bloomington, Monroe county, is no longer sufficient to meet the
growing wants of education and make said university efficient and useful;
and whereas, it should be the pride of every citizen of Indiana to place the
State Universitv in the highest condition of usefulness and make it the crown-
ing glory of our present great common school system, where education shall
be free," therefore eight thousand dollars annually were appropriated out
of the state treasur^■ to the use of the university. This amount was found to
be insufficient, so that from time to time the amount of the annual appropria-
tion was increased.
In 1883, by an act approved March 8, provision was made for a per-
manent endowment fund to be raised by the levy for thirteen years of a tax
282 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
of "one-half of one cent on each one hundred dollars" worth of taxable prop-
erty in this state." to be paid into the state treasury to the credit of Indiana
University.
In 1895 'I" ^^"t was passed (approved March 8) levying an annual tax
of "one-sixth of one mill on every dollar of taxable property in Indiana,"
the proceeds to be divided among the Indiana University, Purdue University
and the Indiana State Normal School. Of this amount the Indiana Univer-
sity received two-fifths, or a levy of one-fifteenth of a mill on the taxable
property in the state. By an act approved March 5, 1903, this law was
amended to read as follows :
Section i. That there shall be assessed and levied upon the taxable
property of the state of Indiana in the year 1903. and in each year there-
after, for the use and benefit of the Indiana University, Purdue University,
and the Indiana State Normal School, to be apportioned as hereinafter in
this act pro\ided, a tax of two and three-fourths cents on every one hiin-
dred dollars of taxable property in Indiana, to be levied, assessed, collected
and paid into the treasury of the state of Indiana, in like manner as other
state taxes are levied, assessed, collected and paid. And so much of the
proceeds of said levy as may be in the state treasury on the first day of
July and the first day of January of each year shall be immediately there-
after paid over to the board of trustees of the respective institution for
which the tax was levied, to be distrilnited and apportioned among them
severally upon the basis as follows, viz. : To the said trustees of the Indi-
ana University upon the basis of four-elevenths (4-11) of the total proceeds
of this tax : to the trustees of Purdue University upon the basis of four-
elevenths (4-1 1 ) of the total proceeds of this tax. and to the trustees of the
Indiana State Normal School upon the basis of three-elevenths (3-1 1) of the
total proceeds of this tax ; and the auditor of state of Indiana is hereby
directed to draw proper warrants therefor, and on or before the tenth day
of January and July of each year the trustees of the Indiana University, Pur-
due University, and the Indiana State Normal School shall file, or cause to be
filed, with the auditor of state, a sworn and itemized statement of their re-
ceipts from all sources, including all tuition fees, and other revenues derived
from students, contingent fees, interest from permanent endowment fund,
the proceeds of the tax provided in this act. and all other receipts of every
kind, character and description, together with a full, detailed, itemized and
sworn statement of their expenditures for all purposes, including mainte-
nance and permanent improvements, the amount paid each member of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 283
faculty, trustees, all officers of the institution, and file with such report a
copy of the receipts for each separate item of the expenditures, it being the
intention of this act that the reports hereinbefore provided for shall set out
in full and in detail all expenditures of every kind, character, and descrip-
tion ; and from and after this act is in force it shall be unlawful for the auditor
of state to issue any warrants to the Indiana University, Purdue University
or the Indiana State Normal School until they have filed their reports as
required by this act.
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS.
A School of Law has been maintained continuouslv in the university,
at Bloomington, since 1889.
A School of Education, for the professional training of teachers, was
established by the trustees in 1908.
A School <)f Aledicine was established in 1903. when the first two vears'
instruction in medicine was provided for at Bloomington. In 1905, pro-
vision was made, by affiliation, for the last two years at Indianapolis, and in
1908 this arrangement was strengthened by the union of the Indiana Medical
College at Indianapolis with the Indiana Uni^'ersitv School of Medicine.
The last step in the process of evolution was taken in the passage, by the
General Assembly, of the following act concerning the School of Medicine
(approved March 2. 1909) :
Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of
Indiana, That the trustees of Indiana University are hereby autliorized to
conduct a medical school in Marion County, Indiana, and to receive gifts
of real estate and other property on behalf of the state of Indiana for the
maintenance of medical education in said county, conditioned that said
trustees shall conduct as an integral part of the Indiana University School of
Medicine a full four years" course in medicine in said Marion county, Indi-
ana : Provided, That there shall be no discrimination for or against any
school or system of medicine in the university, and that all or each of the
schools or systems of medicine now recognized by the state shall liave ade-
quate opportunity to teach the practice of medicine in the uni\ersity accord-
ing to the principles advocated by them respectively, and that it shall be the
duty of the trustees of Indiana University to provide such instruction in as
thorough a manner as the means at their disposal will permit, and as nearly
as possible to provide the same quality of instruction whenever a reasonable
284 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
demand shall be made for the same : Provided, further, That premedical or
other collegiate work done in any college or university of Indiana, which is
recognized by the state board of education of Indiana as a standard college
or university, shall be received and credited in the Indiana University School
of Medicine upon the same conditions as work of the same kind, grade and
amount done in the department of liberal arts of Indiana University.
Sec. 2. Whereas, an emergency exists for the immediate taking effect
of this act. the same shall he in force from and after its passage.
CO-EDUCATION.
Admission to the university was, until the college year 1868-69, re-
stricted to men, but by a resolution of the board of trustees the doors of the
university were at the beginning of that year opened to women on the same
terms. Since 1868, therefore, the university has been co-educational in all
its departments.
RELATION TO THE STATE.
By virtue of the state constitutions of 1816 and 185 1. and the acts of
the General Assembly thereunder, the Indiana University is the state uni-
versity of Indiana, and the head of the public school system of the state. In
order that there might be no doubt of the special relationship of the uni-
versity to the state under the new constitution of 1851, the General Asseinbly
in 1852 enacted that "the institution established by an act entitled 'an act to
establish a college in the state of Indiana', approved January 28, 1828, is
hereby recognized as the university of the state" (act approved June 17,
1852) ; and again in 1867 the General Assembly characterized it as the
"crowning glory of our present great common school system" (act approved
March 8, 1867). Finally, the supreme court of the state in the case of
Fisher vs. Bower, rendered a decision June 24, 1902, in which these words
were used : "The Indiana University is an integral part of our free
school system": "it was the special creation of the constitution"; "the uni-
versity as well as its endowment has always been under the supervision of the
state."
THE OLD CAMPUS.
The first site of tlie university adjoined the town on the south, and lay
in Perry township, the township granted by Congress in 1816 for seminary
purposes. Here, in a temporary structure, what was at first called the State
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 285
Seminary was opened in 1824, the style being changed to Indiana College in
1828, and to Indiana University in 1838. In 1836 a more pretentious build-
ing was erected, which, together with its contents in the form of libraries and
collections, was destroyed by fire in 1854. The friends of the university
then came to its aid, and another and better building was erected. This
structure, one of the most picturesque in Bloomington, is now known as
the Old College; it was purchased in 1897 by the board of education of the
city of Bloomington, and is occupied by the Bloomington high school. In
1847 a second large building of similar design to the Old College, was erected
for the libraries and museum; but in a second fire, in 1883, this building also
was destroyed with all its contents.
REMONAJ. TO NEW CAMPUS.
The fire of 1883 marked a turning-point in the history of the institution.
It was decided to remove the university to a more ample site, away from the
noise and disturbance of the railway. For this purpose the tract known as
Dunn's woods was purchased, east of the city, facing what is now Indiana
avenue on the west, and Third street on the south. Including later purchases,
the college grounds have an extent of about seventy acres. The campus
proper is well wooded and of a rolling nature ; a portion of the remainder
is more level, and is used for the athletic field and for tennis courts. The
campus is cared for by an experienced gardener, who, under the direction of
a faculty committee, has set out many native and exotic plants, shrubs and
trees.
SITUATION OF BUILDINGS.
The chief university buildings iorm three sides of a quadrangle on the
crest of the campus proper. Beginning with the one nearest the Kirkwood
avenue entrance, they are as follows: The library building, erected in 1907;
the student building, 1906; Maxwell hall. 1890: Owen hall, 1884; Wylie
hall, 1884; Kirkwood hall, 1894; Science hall, 1902; the biological building,
1910. Lying outside the quadrangle are Mitchell hall, erected in 1884; the
men's gymnasium, 1896; and the two power houses. Within the quadrangle
is Kirkwood observatory, erected in 1900.
LIBRARY BUILDING.
The library building, completed January i, 1908, at a cost, including
equipment, of one hundred and forty thousand dollars, occupies a site at the
286 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
north of the Kirkwood avenue or main entrance to the campus. It is con-
structed of Indiana Hmestone and red tile. The style is collegiate Gothic.
The main reading room, a well lighted and proportioned apartment, fifty-six
by ninety- four feet, has seats for two hundred and four readers. Around
the walls is shelving for six thousand volumes in the open reference collec-
tion. The stack house has provision for six book levels, three of which are
at present installed. The third of these levels is continuous with the floor
of the main reading room. The total book capacity of the stack house is in
excess of two hundred and fifty thousand volumes. Nearly as many more
can be housed in various parts of the building without detriment to its other
uses. Over thirteen thousand square feet of floor space has already been
divided, or is available for division, into department rooms. The university
bookstore, which furnishes books and supplies to students at cost, is in the
east basement of this building.
STUDENT BUILDING.
The student building was erected at a cost of one hundred thousand
dollars from funds contributed half by the students and friends of the uni-
versity, and the other half by John D. Rockefeller. The west wing of the
building is used by women students ; in the basement of this wing are plunge
and shower baths and a swimming pool; on the first floor are parlors, rest
rooms, and the women's gymnasium: on the second floor are the headquarters
of the Young Women's Christian .\ssociation. The east wing is used by men
students : in the basement are baths and lockers : the first and second floors
contain the rooms of the Indiana Union and other organizations for men
students. In the center of the building is an auditorium capable of seat-
ing six hundred persons, where vesper services are occasionally held on Sun-
day afternoons, and popular lectures and entertainments may be given during
the week. Below the auditorium is a commons room, used for class, or
club, meetings and bantjuets.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES.
Maxwell hall, which is occupied by the administrative offices and the
School of Law. is named for Dr. David H. Maxwell, one of the most ener-
getic promoters of the State Seminary and a lifelong friend of the university
in the three stages of its development, and for his son. Dr. James D. Maxwell,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 287
a member of the board of trustees from i860 to 1892. The main part of the
building is of white Hmestone, in Romanesque style.
BUILDINGS FOR RECITATIONS AND LECTURES.
To give additional space for the School of Law. a three-story addition
to Maxwell hall was erected in 1907, connected with the main body of the
building from the rear by a corridor, and separated by an inclosed court.
Owen hall, rebuilt in 1911, is named for Richard Owen, the geologist,
who was professor of natural science in Indiana University from 1863 to
1879. It contains the lecture rooms and laboratories of the departments of
physiology' and anatomy.
Wylie Hall, the first building in the east side of the quadrangle, was
partially destroyed by fire February 7, 1900, but is now restored and in-
creased by one story. Like Owen Hall, it is built of brick trimmed with
stone. Dr. Andrew Wylie. the first president of Indiana University, and
Prof. Theophilus A. Wylie, the colleague of Professors Owen and Kirkwood.
are worthily commemorated in this building, which was the principal one
erected in 1884. Wylie hall is used by the departments of chemistry and
mathematics.
Kirkwood hall, the next building to the south, is built of white limestone,
as (with one exception) are all the buildings erected since 1884. A Roman-
esque portal, surmounted bv a tower, is the most striking feature of the
facade. Tlie building contains the rooms of the following departments :
Economics and social science ( l^asement, first fioor ) , history and political
science (first floor), comparative philology ( hrst floor). Cireek (second
floor), Latin (second floor), romance languages (first and second floors),
and German (basement, first, second and third floors).
Science hall was completed in 1902 and dedicated January 21, 1903, at
the installation of President Brvan. It is the last building in the east side of
the quadrangle. Its interior construction is of brick, irou, and concrete, the
exterior being of white limestone. It is one of the largest buildings on the
campus. It contains a basement and four stories, and is occupied by the
following departments: Physics (basement, first floor), philosophy (second
and third floors), educational (second, third and fourtli floors), and geology
(third and fourth floors).
288 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COI'NTIES. INDIANA.
Biology building, an additional building for the use of the science de-
partments, finished in 1910, is the first structure on the south side of the
quadrangle. It is built of white limestone, and is fireproof throughout. It
contains the lecture rooms and laboratories of the departments of botany and
zoology, and the rooms of the department of English. A greenhouse for the
use of the department of botany is connected with the building.
OBSERVATORY. '
Kirkwood observatory, situated south of the student building, is built
of white limestone. It contains six rooms, including a circular dome room
twenty-six feet in diameter. Both the observatory and Kirkwood hall are
named in honor of Dr. Daniel Kirkwood, one of the most eminent of Ameri-
can astronomers, who was for many years a member of the faculty of the
university.
OTHER BUILDINGS.
Mitchell hall, named for the Hon. James L. Mitchell, a graduate of
1858 and trustee from 1883 till his death in 1894, is a wooden structure, east
of Science hall. Until the completion of the student building it was used
for the women's gymnasium. It is now used by classes in music.
The men's gymnasium was erected in 1896. In addition to its athletic
uses, it serves on extraordinary occasions as an assembly room, having a
seating capacity of One thousand five hundred.
East of the men's gymnasium is the power house, completed in 1904.
From this central plant all the buildings except Kirkwood observatory, are
supplied with steam heat and electric light, and the laboratories of the de-
partments of physics, chemistry, and philosophy with electric power. The
old power house, near by, has been converted into a laboratory for electro-
chemistry, assaying, and electric furnace work.
A well-house of white limestone, with stained glass skylights, was pre-
sented to the university in 1908 by Theodore F. Rose, '75, who is now a mem-
ber of the board of trustees. The stone portals to this structure were the
portals to the Old College building before the removal of the university to
the present site.
JORDAN FIELD.
In the tract of ground lying northeast of Owen hall and the men's gym-
nasium is Jordan Field, the athletic grounds — named in honor of David
(.AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 289
Starr Jordan, president of the University from 1884 to 1S91. On con-
tiguous ground to the west are a number of tennis courts for the use of men
students.
In the wooded ground on the south side of the campus, near Mitchell
hall, are four w-ell-shaded tennis courts for women students.
The various clubs and societies of the university include, the Greek-
letter fraternities, alumni association. Christian associations for both men
and women. Also the Indiana Union, a social organization founded in
1909, with a charter membership of four hundred. Plans are now maturing
for the construction of a fine building for this society. Then there are the
Women's League, the musical clubs, literary and scientific societies, graduate
clubs, departmental clubs and many others.
RECENT GIFTS AND BEQUESTS.
In February, 1911, the university received as the gift of Dr. and Mrs.
Robert W. Long, of Indianapolis, real estate in Indianapolis valued at two
hundred thousand dollars, for the erection of a hospital in connection with
the School of Medicine. The purpose of Dr. and Mrs. Long in giving was
twofold : To make it possible for worthy persons of limited means from all
parts of Indiana to secure hospital advantages and the services of the best
physicians in connection therewith : and to provide clinical facilities for stu-
dents of medicine in connection with the Indiana University School of Medi-
cine. Recently Dr. Long gave an additional twenty-five thousand dollars for
the equipment of the Long Hospital.
By the terms of the will of Miss Louise A. Goodbody, dean of w^omen
from 1906 to her death on March 5, 1911, real estate in Bloomington valued
at four thousand dollars was bequeathed to the universit}-. By the provisions
of the will, the rents and profits of the property are to go to the father of Miss
Goodbody, Walter G. Goodbody, during his lifetime. As a memorial to Miss
Goodbody, a loan fund, to be known as the Louise Goodbody Memorial Loan
Fund, has been established. Voluntary contributions to the amount of one
thousand three hundred dollars have thus far been received. The principal
and interest of this fund will be lent to women students who desire assist-
ance in meeting the expenses of their course in Indiana l^niversitv.
(19)
290
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.
Students who wish to make a part of the expenses of their college course
while here, and are competent and willing, rarely fail to get all the work
thev care to do. The Christian associations make the finding of places for
those desiring employment a special feature of their practical work. At the
present time, there are in the university about one hundred and twenty-five
men students who are making their way, in whole or in part, and about
twelve women students. The lines of work engaged in are chiefly the fol-
lowing: Surveying, waiting on table, and dishwashing at boarding clubs;
attending to furnaces and doing chores ; newspaper correspondence, collect-
ing and clerking for business houses : typewriting, etc. Girls who are capable
of assisting at housework have no difficulty in finding places in good families,
where they will receive room and board in return for their services. A spirit
of democracy prevails in the university : no stigma attaches to the student
who is obliged to make a living by honest labor.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
The library of Indiana University at present contains eighty-five thou-
sand volumes, and is growing at the rate of about five thousand volumes a
year. The selection of these books has been made by experts within the last
twenty-five years with a view to facilitating instruction and research. The
collection is especially strong in literary and scientific periodicals. The
library is made thoroughly usable by a carefully prepared card catalogue, by
indexes, and other bibliographical aids.
In addition to the central library, where the general literary and his-
torical collections are housed, there are nine departmental collections of vary-
ing sizes, kept in the dififerent university buildings. The library force con-
sists of a librarian and twelve assistants, all of whom are at the service of
anv authorized user of the librarv.
The expenses of the student will vary according to his way of living.
Most of the students lodge in private houses and board in clubs. From inquiry
the following facts have been ascertained, which will indicate to an entering
student the amount he may expect to spend during the college year.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 2gi
A room occupied by one person costs from one dollar to four dollars a
week. Two students rooming together pay as a rule from seventy-five cents
to two dollars each ; at the latter rate, fuel and light should usually be included.
Rooms are generally engaged by the term and paid for weekly. The cost of a
room for a year will vary, then, from thirty-six tn one hundred and fifty
dollars.
Fuel and light are charged for extra, except by special agreement. From
fifteen to twenty dollars will generally cover this expense. Laundry and wash-
ing" mav be estimated at from ten to twenty-fi\e dollars.
Boai'd may be had in clubs at three dollars a week (payable weekly).
Board in hotels costs from four dollars to five dollars. The amount to be set
aside for board for the vear varies from one hundred to one hundred and
eighty dollars.
Text-books and stationerv are supplied students ])y the university book-
store at practically cost price, b^or a student in the College of Liberal Arts
this item of expense is about twenty dollars a }'ear ; for a student in the School
of Law, or the School of Aledicine, about thirty to thirty-five dollars.
V.VKIOrS DEPART^rENTS.
The College of Liberal Arts is the nucleus of the uni\ersity. Passing
over the seminary stage of the university's history, the C(^llege of Liberal Arts
may be said to have begun in 1828. with the chartering of the institution as
the Indiana College. L'ntil the Law School was re-established in 1889, the
College of Liberal Arts was ( with the exception of the then existing prepara-
tory school) the only permanent department of the universit}'. The statutes
governing the university which date from this period, therefore, deal chiefly
with what is now the College of Liberal Arts.
The departmental organization of the college was made in 1887. Since
that date the number of departments has, of course, considerably increased.
LAW DEPARTMENT.
The founders of what is now the Indiana Cni\ersity designed, from its
inception, to incorporate in it a school of law. .As early as 1835 the board
of trustees, considering the question of the immediate opening of such a school
at Bloomington. went so far as to select the foremost lawyer of his day in
Indiana, Judge Isaac Blackford, as its first professor of law. In 1838, when
the Indiana College became by act of the Legislature the Indiana L^niversity.
292 LAWRENCE AND JMONROK COUNTIES, INDIANA.
it was expressly required that a course of law should be given in it. A school
of law was accordingly opened at Bloomington, as a department of the uni-
versity, in 1842. This was, it is believed, the first State University law school
established west of tlie Alleghanies.
The original purpose of the uni\'ersity board was to establish a two years'
course of law. The conditions of the time, however, prevented this for many
years. It was not until 1889 that such a course was definitely established.
A three years' course was established in the year 1901.
Lack of funds resulted, in the year 1877, in a suspension of the Law
School, which lasted twelve years. With this exception, the school has been
in continuous operation since 1842.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
The steps in the development of the Indiana University School of Medi-
cine will be evident from the following historical statement :
The Indiana Medical College, Indianapolis, was organized in 1869.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons, Indianapolis, was organized in
1874 and continued until 1878, when it was combined with the Indiana Med-
ical College, thereafter known as the Medical College of Indiana, which for a
time was the medical department of Butler University.
The Central College of Physicians and Surgeons, Indianapolis, was or-
ganized in 1879.
The Fort Wayne College of Medicine, Foi't Wayne, was organized in
1879.
The Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, was organ-
ized in 1903.
The State College of Physicians and Surgeons, Indianapolis, was organ-
ized in 1906.
In September, 1905, the Medical College of Indiana, the Central Col-
lege of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Fort Wayne College of Medicine
merged under the name of the Indiana Medical College, the school of medicine
of Purdue University.
In the summer of 1907, the Indiana University School of Medicine and
the State College of Physicians and Surgeons united under the name of the
Indiana LTniversity School of Medicine.
In April, 1908, negotiations were completed whereby the Indiana Medical
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 293
College was united with the Indiana University School of Medicine under the
name of the latter.
On February 26, 1909, an act was passed by the Legislature authorizing
the trustees of Indiana University to conduct a medical school in Marion
county, to receive gifts of real estate and other pi'operty in behalf of the state
of Indiana for the maintenance of medical education in said county, and
declaring an emergency.
THE SUMMER TERM SYSTEM.
The university offers in the summer a full term's work, the term being
divided into two half-terms of equal credit value. Although many courses
continue through both half-terms, the work of each is in charge of a different
corps of teachers.
The purpose of the summer term is to extend to those who are otherwise
engaged during the school \ear the advantages which the university offers for
instruction, together with the aid afforded l>y the library, laboratories, and
other facilities for stud) connected with the university. It is the aim to
present courses of study which are equivalent in quality oi instruction and
grade of work done to those offered in the other university terms. Some of
the courses have been specially arranged for the purpose of aiding those who
teach, or wish to prepare themsehes to teach, in high schools, academies, and
other schools. ^Methods of teaching will also lie treated incidentally in other
courses.
THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION.
An act of the General Assembly, passed in 1853, provided that the uni-
versity should "establish a normal department for instruction in the theon,-
and practice of teaching," wherein young persons might be prepared as teach-
ers for the common schools of the state. In accordance with this require-
ment, the university established, that same year, such a department, "with a
male and female model school as schools of practice." in connection therewith.
From 1856 to 1886. inclusive, the normal department was suspended.
In the latter year it was revived, first as the department of pedagogy, and later
as the department of education. In each case, the department was regarded
as organically a part of the College of Liberal Arts, in which a major subject,
leading to the degree Bachelor of Arts, might be taken as in other similar
departments.
294 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The enactment of the school law of 1907, requiring pedagogical training
from all classes of public school teachers of the state, was followed by the
segregation and formal organization of the pedagogic courses and faculty in
the uni\ersitv. The result is the present enlarged School of Education.
... . GRADUATE SCHOOL.
The first advanced degrees, conferred for graduate work, were granted
in 1 88 1. During the eighties, well defined regulations for graduate work
and graduate degrees were stated in the university catalogue, and a consider-
able number of graduate students were enrolled, especially in the natural
sciences. In the years 1881 to 1893, inclusive, the university graduated four-
teen Doctors of Philosophy, ninety-nine Masters of Arts, and twelve Masters
of Science. For some years following 1893, however, the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy was not conferred.
In 1904 there took place the segregation and formal organization of the
Graduate School, and in 1908 the office of dean of the Graduate School was
created.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
1816 — First Constitution of Indiana adopted, providing for a general
system of education, ascending in regular gradation from township schools
to a state university.
1820 — January 20. Act of the General Asseml^ly estalilishing a state
seminarv. This da\' is observed as Foundation day.
1824 — Seminary building erected. Seminary opened in May with an
attendance of ten boys.
1828 — Januarv 24. Act changing the State Seminary into the Indiana
College.
1836 — First college building erected; destroyed by fire. 1854.
1838 — February 15. Act changing the Indiana College into the Indiana
University.
1842 — School of Law established; suspended, 1877-89; revived, 1889.
1852 — June 17. Act recognizing the university as "the University of the
State."
1855 — "Old College" building erected; used for Preparatory School,
1885-90; sold to Bloomington school board for use of high school, 1897.
1865 — President of Indiana University made a member ex-officio of the
state board of education.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 295
1867 — March 8. First annual appropriations made to the university.
The university made coeducational; first woman graduated in 1869.
1873 — Closer relations established between the university and the high
schools through the system of commissioned high schools.
1874 — Old Science hall erected; destroyed by fire, 1883.
1883 — March 8. Endowment act passed levying one-halt of one cent
on each $100 taxable property, for thirteen years.
1884-5 — Wylie, Owen and Mitchell halls erected on new campus, and
removal of the university to its present site.
1886-7 — Reorganization of the curriculum on the major sul>ject and de-
partmental basis.
1890 — Maxwell hall erected. Summer school estal:)lished. Preparatory
department abolished.
1891 — March 3. Vet providing for the election of three trustees by
the alumni of the university.
1894 — Kirkwood hall erected.
1895 — March 8. Act for annual tax of one-fifteenth of a mill for the
uni\'ersity. Biological station established at Turkey lake; removed to Winona
lake in 1899.
1896 — Alen's gymnasium erected.
1900 — Kirkwood observator\- erected.
1901 — Three-\ear course estal)lished in School ni Law.
1902 — Science hall erected. June 24, sui)reme court of the state de-
cided that "the Indiana University is an integral part of our free school sys-
tem"; that "it was the special creation of the constitution," and that "the uni-
versitv as well as its endowment has always ])een under the supervision of
the state."
1903 — School of Medicine establi-^hed. Tax le\-}- for university in-
creased to one-tenth of a mill.
1904 — Graduate School organized.
1905 — Student liuilding erected with funds from private su1)scription.
New power house erected.
1907 — Xew Hbrary Iniilding completed.
1908 — Erection of the well house, gift of Theodore F. Rose, '75.
1910 — Biological building erected.
1911— ;-Gift from Dr. and Mrs. Robert W. Long of real estate \alued at
two hundred thousand dollars for the erection and maintenance of a ho.spital
in connection with the School of Medicine at Indianapolis. Bequest of prop-
296 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
erty valued at four thousand dollars by the will of Dean Louise A. Goodbody.
Establishment of the Louise Goodbody Memorial Loan Fund.
1913 — Tax levy for university increased to two and four-fifths cents on
the hundred dollars.
1913- — Additional gift of twenty-fi\e thousand dollars to the Medical
School by Dr. Robert W. Long.
During the last twenty years, this institution has grown as follows : 1892
it had 497 students; in 1S97, it had 944; in 1902, it had I-334; in 1907 it
reached 1,821 ; in 1912 it had 2,522 students.
The subjoined is a brief biography of each of its presidents:
BRIEF SKETCHES OF THE PRESIDENTS.
Dr. Andrew VVylie, the first president of Indiana University, was born
April 12, 1789, in western Pennsylvania, son of Adam Wylie, a native of
county Antrim, Ireland, who came to Fayette county Pennsylvania, about
1776. The son Andrew was reared to farm duties and spent his evenings at
hard study. He loved outdoor sports and especially did he love to handle
an axe in the forests, and this remained with him to his old age, as will present-
ly be observed. When only fifteen years old he entered Jefferson College,
from which he graduated in 1810 and was appointed a tutor of that institution,
and finally became its president, the youngest person to ever hold such ofifice
there. In 181 7 he resigned and went to Washington College, Pennsylvania,
with the hope of uniting the two schools. In 1829 he was elected president
of Indiana University (College). Flere he made many warm friends as well
as man}- opposers of his policies. He had strong likes and flislikes. As a
writer, he was clear and terse. He was sought after by such men as Daniel
Webster, who liked his writings and speeches. In 1839 he had published
books, including his "Sectarianism is Heresy." He was reared a Presby-
terian, but in i(S4i um'ted with the Episcopalian church, which displea.sed
many. He died November ii, 185 [, after having his foot cut with bis axe
accidentally, and still later pneumonia set in and killed him.
REV. .\LFRFn RYORS, D. D.
Doctor Ryors, the university's second president, was born in Phila-
delphia, June 23, 18 1 2, and was left an orphan at a very tendej age. not recall-
ing vividlv his parents in after years. He went to live with friends in Mont-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 297
gomery county, Pennsylvania, and there remained until 1823, in which year
he united with the Presbyterian church and commenced a preparatory course
for entering the theological school. He entered Jefferson College in 1831,
remaining two years, and then taught school at Bristol, Pennsylvania. In
1834 he went back to Jefferson College, graduating in 1835. and was made
professor at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania : held chairs at the Uni-
versity of Ohio, was ordained to preach in Philadelphia ; was elected professor
in mathematics at Indiana University in 1843, held one year, and then again
back to the University of Ohio. He preached at Bloomington, Indiana, two
years to the Presbyterian people and was ordained by the presbytery in 1845.
In 1852 returned to Bloomington as president of Indiana University; re-
mained one year and resigned ; he was then professor in a Kentucky college,
where he died May 8, 1858.
WILLIAM M. DAILY, D. D.
The third president of Indiana University was born in Coshocton, Ohio,
in 181 2. His youth was spent in Indiana and he taught at the age of fifteen
years. He was a delicate child and youth, hence gave up the rugged work
of a farm. He grew up in the Methodist Episcopal church; at the age of
sixteen years he became an exhorter and was styled "boy preacher." In 1831
he united with the Methodist conference and was made an elder in 1835. He
kept on studying, even being up at four in the morning with his books. He
was stationed at Bloomington in 1835-36: in 1838 was an agent for the
Preachers' Aid society of his church and transferred to Missouri, being-
stationed at St. Louis till 1840. when he returned to Indiana in ill healtli. In
1843, ^t Bishop Ames' suggestion, he was made pastor at Madison, Indiana.
In 1844-45 he was chaplain of the L'nited States Congress. He was agent for
Asbui-y University (now De Pauw). In 1853 he was made president of
Indiana LTniversity, was here six years, and returned to the Madison Methodist
church. In 1862 he was hospital chaplain at St. Louis, under appointment of
Mr. Lincoln. In 1865 he was appointed special mail agent in the Southern
states. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Indiana LTni-
versity in 185 1 and later that of Doctor of Laws from the Louisville Uni-
versity. He preached in the South until his death.
298 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
JOHN HIRAM LATHROP.
John H. Lathrop, the fourth president of Indiana University, was born in
January, 1799, in Sherburne, New York. He entered Hamilton College in
1815 and Yale two years later, receiving his degrees in 1819. He was a tutor
of note at Yale College ; taught school in New England ; was professor in
mathematics at Hamilton, 1829. In 1840 he became president of the Uni-
versity of Missouri, when it tirst started, and when it took him six weeks to
get there. On account of the slave question, he resigned in 1849 ^.nd went
as cliancellor to Wisconsin University and after ten years was made president
of Indiana University, where he remained one year, after which he returned,
as a professor, to the University of Missouri. He died in May, 1866, at
Columbia, the seat of the university.
CYRUS NUTT.
Cyrus Nutt was the hfth president of Indiana University. He was born
in Trumbull county, Ohio, September 4. 1814. He graduated at Allegheny
College, Pennsylvania, in 1831, and soon after went to Asbury University
(now DePauw), Indiana, where he was licensed to preach in 1837. He was
professor of languages in 1841, professor of Greek, Latin and Hebrew in
1849, ^iid served as president of Fort Wayne Female College one year. Then
he was at Whitewater College for h\e years and again took up preaching.
In 1857 he was made professor of mathematics at Asbury University, Indiana,
for two years, until Rev. Thomas Bowman (later Bishop) became its presi-
dent. In i860 he was made president of Indiana University until end of the
college year of 1874-75. He died a few weeks after his resignation, August
24, 1875, and lies buried at Greencastle. Indiana.
LEMUEL MOSS.
The sixth president of Indiana Uni\ ersity was born in Kentucky in 1829.
He graduated at Rochester, New York, as a Bachelor of Arts in 1858, was
made a Doctor of Divinity in i860, and in 1860-64 was pastor of the Baptist
church at Worcester. Massachusetts. In 1864 he was made secretary of the
United States Christian Commission. From 1865 to 1868 he held a chair at
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, from 1868 to 1872 was editor of the National Bap-
tist. In 1874-75 he was president of Chicago I'niversity and was then made
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. JQQ
president of Indiana University. He was author of "Annals of the Christian
Commission" and editor of the "'Baptist and Centenaiy, 1876." Resigned in
November, 1884.
DAVID STARR JORDAN.
Indiana University's seventh president was born in W yoniing, New York,
in 1851, and was reared on a farm. He early took to botany and in 1869 he
entered Cornell University, New York, graduating as a Master of Science in
1875: also had the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Indiana Medical Col-
lege. He was instructor in botany at Cornell in 1872, and held many chairs in
various states. From 1879 to 1885 he was professor of biology in Indiana
University and was made its president in 1884. In 1882 he explored Lake
Superior; in 1886 the Adirondacks and also Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and
Texas; in 1888, Virginia, Tennessee and the two Carcjlinas : 1889, Colorado,
Utah and Wyoming. He resigned at Indiana Unixersity in 1891 to accept
the head of the Leland Stanford I niversity, California, which was a hard
blow to our university in Indiana. More credit is due to this president than
any other man, living or deceased, for the upbuilding of Indiana University.
JOHN M. COULTER.
This was the eighth president for Indiana University. He only ser\ed
a short time and resigned in 1893. baving been made president of Lake Forest
University.
DR. JOSEPH SWAIN.
Doctor Swain was the ninth to hold the presidency of Indiana Uni\ersity.
He commenced his work in 1893 and ser\ed until in T90J, to go to Swarth-
more College, of the Society of the Friends, in Pennsylvania.
DR. WILLIAM LOWE BRYAN, PH. 1)., LL. D.
Doctor Bryan, the present and tenth president of Indiana University,
commenced his work where Doctor Swain left off. antl his record is tot> well
known to be enlarged upon here, in this particular connection. Under his
wise administration the university is coming fast to the front as one of the
nation's great educational institutions.
CHAPTER X.
NEWSPAPER HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
In the publication of a newspaper, as well as in all other branches of in-
dustry, there must of necessity be a first one, and here in Monroe county it is
conceded that Jesse Brandon, an ex-state printer, established the first news-
paper, at Bloomington about 1826. It was styled the Bloomington Repub-
lican, although its name was forty years in advance of the birth of the Repub-
lican party, as now understood in American politics. Mr. Brandon came over-
land from Corydon with his material and soon took in as a partner Jacob B.
Lowe. There is no file of this pioneer paper extant now, but it is known from
various historical events that it only survived imtil about 1829. Either Janu-
ary I, 1829, or January i, 1830, appeared the first number of a small sheet,
known as the Independent Whig. It was a five-column paper and its price
per year was two dollars; its motto was "Measures, Not Men." In 1831 this
newspaper went defunct. Indeed many have gone the same way in this
county, for in Bloomington alone there have been no less than thirty-five
newspaper \'entures. W . D. McCollough & Company were the proprietors
of the Independent U'liig.
September 15, 1832, Jesse Brandon and Marcus L. Deal issued the first
number of the Far West, an exponent of the Whig faith. ^ "Willing to praise,
but not afraid to blame," was this paper's motto. D. R. Eckles was its pub-
lisher, and its life was about two years. During the summer of 1832. Dr.
Deal began the publication of the Literary Register, devoted to the special
interests of Indiana College, but upon the Far West springing up, this publica-
tion ceased to be issued. Subsequently. Mr. Deal issued the Bloomington
Post, another \\'hig organ. This was conducted for about nine years, and
had a subscription rate of two dollars a year or three dollars if not paid in
advance. Ben Franklin was another paper started by Jesse Brandon, who
seemed to be a genuine "starter" of papers ! The Herald was a Whig paper
established late in the forties by C. Davidson. At the same time J. S. Hester
conducted an opposition paper at Bloomington. The Christian Record was a
religious publication by Elder James M. Matthes. This was a monthly in the
interests of the Christian Church. He also conducted the Independent
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 3OI
Tribune mid Monroe Farmer. C. G. Berry and Mr. Brandon were also con-
nected with this paper.
The Northwestern Ga::ette was established in 1852, by James Hughes,
and continued for a year and a half. In 1853 Eli P. Fanner and Jesse
Brandon published the Religious Times, later known as the Western Times.
In 1854 J. F. Walker and L. M. DenKjtte purchased the Times office and
began publishing the Bloomington Times. This was the first real organ of
the newly organized Republican party in Monroe county. Later, this plant
was removed to Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1854 A. B. and J. C. Carlton founded the Bloomington News Let-
ter, a Democratic organ. Howard Coe bought this paper in 1856 and com-
menced to issue a seven-column paper, called the Bloomington Republican.
Again the paper changed hands, and Clement Walker and W. S. Bush as-
sumed control in 1858. Subsequently, Bush severed his connection and J.
F. Walker became a w(jrking partner. During the years of the Civil war,
and just after that conflict, this paper had a very large, profitable circula-
tion. While the Republican was in existence many attempts were made to
found successful Democratic papers, but without avail, such attempts proving
but loss and disappointment to their owners.
In 1867 William A. Gabe began the publication of the Republican, and
later changed the name to the Republican Progress, and it existed until in
the nineties. In 1868, the Bloomington Democrat was founded by Thomas
C. Pursel and continued for some time. He also published the Indiana
Student, devoted to university interests and local news of the day.
In August, 1875, the Democrat office was sold to O. G. Hunt and J. V.
Cook, who began the publication of the Bloomington Times, a Republican
organ, and two months later H. J. Feltus established the Bloomington
Courier, a paper still published in connection with the World, and now
(1913) owned by Oscar Cravens.
In April, 1877, Walter S. Bradfute began the publication of the
Bloomington Telephone, prolmbly the first paper bearing this name, as it
was about that date that the electric telephone was discovered and put in
practical use. The first issue of the Telephone was about the size of a note-
sheet of paper, and was full of choice, spicy local items. The Telephone
office was burned in 1910, and its files and materials generally destroyed,
but. Phoenix-like, it arose from the ashes and built new quarters, which
building is among the handsomest in all Indiana for a newspaper pulilication.
Before passing to other newspaper history, let it be stated that when
302 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the Telephone was first established Mr. Bradfute had associated with him a
young man named Arnott, l)ut in November of the same j^ear the pubHca-
tion was launched, the latter left the office, after which Mr. Bradfute con-
tinued alone. In 1878 the weekly was enlarged, the first time; in 1880 again,
and still another enlargement in January, 1883, when it took on the form of
a six-column quarto. In 1892 the Daily Telephone was started, and is now
an eight-column folio, printed on a Babcock power press. It is in every
way an up-to-date paper and has the good will of the community.
The newspaper publications of Bloomington in 19 13 are the World-
Courier^ the Telephone and the Star, a weekly, with a university paper styled
the Daily StudeuL The World-Courier, since comljined. is a semi-weekly,
while the World is a daily, as well as the Telephone.
James Marlin conducted a Greenback organ, The True Plan, in 1878,
when the doctrine of greenback money was rife in the nation. A few months
in 1880 the Bloomington Hazvkeye was published; it was a Democratic
pa])er. John East also conducted a small political organ in the campaign of
1880.
OTHER COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
Up to 1883-84 the only other place in Monroe county where a newspaper
had been established was at the enterprising town of EUettsville, where in
1872, or possibly a year later, Howard L. Morris, editor, and S. B. Harris,
proprietor, issued the first number of the Ellettsiille Republican, which after
two issues passed into the hands of Mr. Harris. .\t the end of two issues
more Harris emjjloyed John Walker to edit the paper, which had a life of
about six months, after which Harris assumed control for about two years,
then leased his office to Charles McPheetridge. who sold to William B. and
S. B. Harris. After \V. B. Harris had continued a while he moved the
office to Spencer, and a year later came back and was still at the helm in
1884. While he was absent, a Mr. Hyatt issued a publication styled the
Graphic. S. K. Harris also issued the N r<.vs for a time. 'I'he first paper
was the Republican, the second the Sun, the third the People, the fourth the
Graphic, the fifth the Nei^'s, and the sixth the Monroe County Citizen. The
present paper of the town is the Farm and Real E.'^tate, a seven-column folio,
with a subscrii)tion rate of fifty cents per year. It is printed on a power
press by gasoline power. It was established in 1881, succeeding the Ellctts-
ville Republican, established in 1872. It is published by B. H. Harris and is,
politicallv, a Republican newspaper. To go more into details concerning
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 303
the founding and publishing of these Elletts\ille newspapers, it will be well
to state that in July, 1872, S. B. Harris bought a printing plant which had
been shipped in by a local stock company. The "company" failed to put up
the cash, and Mr. Harris advanced the money. The first few issues were
gotten out by Howard ^Morris, the promoter of the stock company, after
which Air. Harris hired John V. \\alker, one of the ijldest printers in the
ccHinty, who had charge till the following December, when \\\ 15. Harris
took charge, and with the exception of a )ear at Clcnerdale and two vears
at Spencer, has been in charge ever since. Besides this publication Mr.
Harris, between 1801 and 1905, established throughout Indiana, Illinois,
Ohio and Kentucky, one hundred and thirty-fi\e newspapers, the printing
being done at the plant in Ellettsville. In December, 1905, the W. B. Harris
& Sons Company was capitalized at twenty-fi\e thousand dollars for the
purpose of publishing a youth's magazine. Our Boys and Girls. W. B. Har-
ris, editor, which was the first publication in the United States to give Shet-
land ponies away as premiums. This publication attained a circulation of
thirty-five thousand, and was later absorbed by the Star Monthly, of Chi-
cago. The Saturday Evening Post later took up the plan of giving Shetland
ponies as premiums, after first getting pointers from the Ellettsville editor
and publisher.
Another Monroe county paper is the Suiithzille Nezvs, an independent
paper established at Smithville on July 31. 1908, by R. B. Carter.
CHAPTER XI.
CHURCHES AND FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
Tlic leligious sentiment has always been well represented in Monroe
county, according to statistics gathered at various dates. In 1861, the first
year of the Civil war, the Ministerial Association of Bloomington had pre-
pared a table showing the standing of the various churches at that date,
which may be of interest now :
The Old School Presbyterians had sittings for 350; average congrega-
tion, 200; members. 105.
The New School Presbyterians had sittings for 225 ; average congre-
gation, 150; members, 83.
The United Presbyterians had sittings for 300; average congregation,
100; members, 60. (This was Professor Wylie's church.)
The United Presbyterians, under Mr. Turner, had sittings for 500;
average congregation, 250; members, 225.
Methodist Episcopal, sittings, 500; average congregation, 300; mem-
bers, 230.
The Baptists had sittings for 250; membership, 40.
The Christian church had sittings for 400; average congregation, 200;
members, 175.
This gave a total of all sittings, 2,525; average congregation, 1,200;
total membership, 916. Bloomington then had only 2,200 population.
THE METHODIST DENOMINATION.
This denomination, with the Presbyterians and Baptists, were pioneers
in this county. They all established church homes about the same time and
very soon after the county was organized.
At Bloomington, the Methodists occupied the field in 1820, by organiza-
tion of a class, and six years later erected their first church. Among the
early menibers were Joshua O. Howe and wife, Daniel Rawlins and wife,
Benjamin Freeland and wife, Samuel Hardesty and wife, Ebenezer Shep-
ard and wife, Mrs. Wright, Jonathan Legg and wife, Naomi Otwell and
familv, James H. King and wife, Abraham Pauly and others.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 305
The rir^il church buikliui;- cost six hundrtnl dollars and hdias Abel
wheeled mortar for it and the Wrights did the brick work. It was sold in
the forties to the Baptists, and in the sixties to the t atholic people. The
Methodists erected a new house of worship in i84(), when Rev. Owen was
pastor. It was the custom to ha\e a door-keeper, and in place of a bell to
call the congregation together, a large tin burn was used. In 1873 another
more modern and much larger edifice was built on College street, at a cost
of twelve thousand dollars, which served until the completion of the present
magnificent stone ediiice, surmounted with a d(Juble-cross, which at night
time is kept illuminated by electricity, the expense being provided for Iw a
prominent member, now deceased. The cost of the present building was
about one hundred thousand dollars, and it was hnished in 1909, and stands
on the corner of Washington and Fourth streets. The present member-
ship of the church is one thousand two hundred and seventy, and its pastor
is Re\-. J. W. Jones.
A Alethodist class was organized at the Putnam school house, in Bean
Blossom township in \St,2 and there met for many years. Early in the
fifties a church building was provided in the southern ])art of the township
and services ha\'e been kept up in the township ever since, at various points.
In the thirties a class was formed in \^an Buren township, with Lewis
Dale as a pastor, in 1850. A building was erected later at Stanford and
the society has always prospered.
In Indian Creek township the Methodists were first in the religious
field, the first class being formed in the Walker neighborhood, about 1825.
This was known as Alt. Salem church and was famous in early days for its
revivals of power and attendance from far and near. I'inally the church was
divided, some uniting at Stanford and others at various jilaces for conven-
ience.
In Clear Creek township, earlv in tlie fifties, a Methodist class was
formed at Smithville.
In Polk township, in the fifties, a clas- was formed and a church or-
ganized, known as Chapel Hill, a building soon being erected. Later one
was built at Pleasant A'alley. Salem Chapel was another earl)- organized
society.
A Methodist church, styled Wesley Chapel, was organized in Rich-
land township in the twenties.
(20)
306 LAWRENCE AiXIl MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
METHODISM IN I912.
At the date of the last conference report ( 1912) the following appears:
Bloomington, Eighth Street church — 436 membership; church property
valued at $2,500.
Bloomington, First church — 1,270 members; church property, $105,-
000; parsonage property, $7,500: pastor, Rev. J. \V. Jones: church owes,
$3,500.
Ellettsville — 300 membership; church property valued at $4,200.
Harrodsburg — 470 membership; church property estimated at $4,500.
Stinesville and Paragon— 180 members; value of church property. $6,-
400.
Smithville- — Membership, 94.
Cross Roads — Membership, no.
VVhitaker — 14 membership.
Total membership in Monroe county, in above charges and churches,
2,801. The total of all benevolences collected in 19 12 in the Bloomington
district was $11,747. Total value of church property (estimated), $133,600.
There may be at this date ( 1913) a few country churches not here
enumerated.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
The Presbyterian church at Bloomington was organized on September
26, 1819, by Rev. Isaac Reed. The first members included Henry Kirk-
man. David PI. Maxwell, Mary D. Maxwell, John Ketchum and wife, Eliza-
beth Anderson, Elizabeth Lucas and Patsey Baugh. The society was or-
ganized at the old log court house which stood wliere now stands the county
jail. The first regular minister was Rev. David C. Proctor, who took charge
in 1822, preaching three-fourths of bis time in Indianapolis. Pie was suc-
ceeded in 1825 1)v Rev. B. R. Hall, principal of the State Seminar}- (now
University), .\ndrew W'ylie supplied the pulpit from 1830 to 1834: Re\-.
Ranson Hawley served from 1834 to 1841 : Rev. W. \Y. Martin, from 1843
to 1845; Rev. Alfred Ryors. from 1845 to 1847: Rev. Levi Hughes, from
1847 to T851 : Rev. Thomas Alexander, from 1851 to 1853: Rev. F. H.
Laird, from 1855 to 1856: Rev. Lowman Hall, from 1856 to 1857; Rev.
T. M. Hopkins, from 1857 to 1869; Rev. A. Y. Moore, from 1869 on for a
number of years. The first church was erected in 1826 and another in 1859-
63. that still did service in the eighties.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 307
In June, 185J, the Second I'reslivterian church was organized with
eleven memhers, eight from the Mrst church. Rev. Bishop became stated
pastor in 1857. In April, 1870, the First and Second churches were united
under the pastorate of Rev. A. Y. Moore, which union was called the Walnut
Street Presbyterian church. From date of organization in 1819 to 1882
there had been received into church fellowship eight hundred and twelve
members, and twelve ministers had gone forth from the church to do good
work for the Master.
The United Presbyterian church of Bloomington was composed of all
branches. Associate (Seceders), Associated Reformed (Union), and the
Reformed Presbyterians, which were separately organized in 1833, 1834
and 1838. The three branches remained separate until 1864, when the As-
sociated Reformed, under Rev. William Turner, and the Associate, under
Rev. John Bryan, came into the above named union, forming the United
Presbyterian congregation. In 1809 tlie Reformed congregation, under
Rev. T. A. VVylie, came into the union. The members were mostly from
North Carolina and left on account of slavery. At the time of the union the
membership was about two hundretl. In the early se\enties their church
was erected in the northern part of the city.
Of the First Presbyterian church of Bloomington it may be stated that
it is located in a new thirty tlmusanrl dollar stone edifice on the corner of Sixth
and Lincoln streets. It now has a membership of more than four hundred,
including many of the present facult\ of the university, whicli institution
has a student pastor, Rev. Thomas R. U'hite, and the church's regular pas-
tor is Rev. John R. Ellis.
The Reformed Presbyterian churcli, located on Walnut street, was
organized in 1820 by the Scotch-Irish Covenanters from South Carolina.
Its neat little brick edifice is still intact and there the faithful from both
town and city meet regularly and hold divine sen'ices after their own fash-
ion, and here much spirituality is oliserved. Midweek day prayer services
are held at present.
The United Presbyterians, above mentioned as among the early socie-
ties of the city and Monroe county, have a church on the corner of College
avenue and Ninth street. Their membershi]) is now a1)out two hundred and
fifty. This congregation maintains a mission on Maple Heights. Among the
last pastors is the Rev. Thomas H. Hanna. Jr.
The Presbyterian denomination also has churches at Ellettsville and
Harrodsburg, the latter of the Cuiuherland sect or branch.
308 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Bethesda Presbyterian congregation, east of Bloomington. was organ-
ized in the thirties. An acre of land was bought in section 3, township 8,
range i west. Another society was formed and land was donated on sec-
tion 29, by Mr. Campbell, and in 1856 a church was erected there known
as "Christian Union."
The Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized at Harrodsburg
in the fifties, meetings being held at the school house.
Another famous church was the Cumberland church of Richland town-
ship, which was formed in 1830.
• •. BAPTIST CHURCHES.
While this denomination has never been as strong in the county as
some other churches, yet it has been represented at many places in this
county from early in the twenties, when a small society was formed at
Bloomington, the Fosters, Stones and Vanoys being leaders in the organiza-
tion work.
In Richland township the old Vernal Baptist church was one, if not
the very first organized in the county. Meetings were held during the
winter of 1817-18, but a real societv was not perfected for several years
thereafter. A rude log church was l)uilt in the Sanders neighborhood about
1826, antl used until 1838, when a frame church was l)uilt further north
and three-quarters of a mile from Ellettsville. So open and cold was the
log church that in wintertime services were h,eld at private homes. The
first minister was Rew James Chambers, who was succeeded by Rev. Leroy
Mayfield, who served thirty years. Bethany Baptist church, another in the
same township, was early in organizing.
In Van Buren township, early in the forties, the Cnited Baptists formed
a society near Stanford and in 1850 they built a neat church. The old
Baptist church in the south part of Richland township for years drew large
congregations from Van Buren township.
The old Hebron Baptist church, in the southern part of Indian Creek
township, was formed in the forties, and its influence was felt many dec-
ades— indeed it is still going on.
In Clear Creek township an early Baptist church was formed in the
Nichols neighborhood, probably about 1828. There were numerous points
within this township at which smaller classes of this denomination did ex-
cellent pioneer work.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 3O9
In Benton township, as early as 1834. a Baptist society was formed,
near the residence of Lewis Stevens, and it was styled "Little Union." It
was noted for its spirit of enthusiasm and faithful work.
In Bean Blossom township, a Baptist church was formed in 1S40, known
as "Jack's Defeat." Another Bai)tisl church was Mt. ("armel, built in the
forties. After Stinesville started up, their old log church was a])andoned,
and the Baptists, Methodists, Christians and Lutherans united and Ijuilt a
"box" church in the village, which was used until a better Ijuilding was
erected in 1883-84 b\- the Baptist denomination. The Methcxlists retained
the old building.
The present Baptist church at Bluomington is located on the corner of
Washington and l-'ourth streets: it is a splendid stone structure of recent
construction, modern in all of its appointments. It has a large, active con-
gregation and attends well to the needs of the Ba])tist denomination in the
city. Its latest pastor is Re\-. James A. Brown.
There are now (1913) Baptist churches at both Stinesville and Fdletts-
ville, both doing an excellent work.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OR CHURCH OF CHRIST, OR CHURCH OF DISCIPI.E3
OF CHRIST.
By Amzi Atwater.
In the early day of our country's history a goodly number of religious
teachers advocated reform chiefly by rejecting creeds and taking the word of
God as their only guide. Two of the most learned and worthy of these were
Barton W. Stone, of Kentucky, and Alexander Campbell, of Virginia. Both
of them had been educated as Presbyterians. Stone began his reformatory
work about ten years before 1800, Campbell nine years after that time.
Some of the followers of Stone arri\ed in Bloomington by the time the town
was laid out in 1818. As they had no church building they met from house
to house, in their log cabins in winter and in a grove to the northeast in
summer. The Christian church chapel is not far from the place. Here they
held great camp meetings, often with much sensational exhorting. John
Henderson was their preacher. He was a large man, had a strong voice
and was a great singer. Old settlers said that the voice of John Henderson,
singing the old-time hymns at evening, could be heard a mile away. He had
in his employ an ex-slave brought from Kentucky. The people called him
"Black Aaron." He could preach and act out his sermons at the same time.
'When he took David and Goliath as his text he would fold his handkerchief
into a sling, put in the stone, whirl it and let it fly, then turning quickly he
3IO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
would personate Goliath, receive the stone in his forehead and fall down
dead on the platform.
THE COURT HOUSE OF 1 826.
When the brick court house was built in 1826 Barton Stone came from
Kentucky and held meetings in it. which made a fine impression on the
pioneer hearers. The people at once bought a lot and built a house to serve
both for school house and church. This lasted them, with one enlargement,
about fifty years. The church parsonage stands on that lot today. Stone
and Campbell having conferred together as early as 1824, and they and
their followers many times later on, and having come finally to almost a
perfect agreement, a union was effected in 1833, in which the views of
Campbell more largely prevailed.
THE DOCTRINES AND THE NAME.
Faith and repentance were now much preached and baptism by immer-
sion to be administered at once w ithout a mourner's bench delay. The com-
munion was now observed every Sunday. Some people had called the asso-
ciates of Stone "Newlights." Some now called the church "Campbellite,"
but the members objected and desired to be called simply "Christians," or
"Disciples of Christ." The deed of the above named lot (167) was given
in 1826 to the "Trustees of the Christian Church." Though Stone himself
joined forces with Campbell, some of his associates never did go into the
"new organization." A few have remained firm to this day and very gen-
erally say they have the first claim to the name "Christian Church" as a
distinctive name. Thus some confusion exists. Campbell always preferred
the name, "Disciples of Christ." Again in these later years a marked division
has sprung up between the more progressive and more conservative of the
churches — the one readily adopting missionary and Endeavor societies. Sun-
day schools and organs, the other rejecting them. The latter party tend to
the exclusive use of the name, "Church of Christ," which all acknowledge
to be as Scriptural as "Church of God," both being used in the New Testa-
ment. Thus again some ambiguity has arisen. The writer hopes that this
careful explanation will remove all confusion from the mind of every
reader.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 3 II
PLANTING CHURCHES.
It is believed that no other rehgious body has organized so many churches
in Monroe county as this people who sprang from the Campbell and Stone
movement. Of these there have been about a score started. A few of them,
in time, have weakened and ceased to meet.
While this church has not greatly inclined to organization or combina-
tion of any kind, the brethren of the early day repeatedly strengthened their
work by county and district co-operative effort. This can be seen especially
in the years before the war. Their county co-operation began as early as
1848, when James Blankenship, who had just come to us from the Baptists
at Unionville, was chosen county evangelist, and went at once to holding
meetings in destitute places, while the churches supported him by their con-
tributions. Later John C. Mathes was chosen county evangelist. Again in
185 1, the churches of Monroe, Lawrence, Brown, Morgan, Owen, Green.
Martin and Daviess counties formed a district organization, held annual
meetings and employed an evangelist. This they kept up till war times, dropped
it, but resumed it after the war.
Let us now name the leading events in the formative period of this
people. Minister John Henderson moved to Illinois in 1830. Though he was
in sympathy with the new reformatory changes, he did not stay to see them
accomplished.
Among the men who were in the lead of Bloomington church when
John Henderson left were Jonathan Nichols, who had laid out the town of
Bloomington, and later was president of the board of trustees of the Univer-
sity; Dudly C. Smith, later leader at Harmony church (father of Dudly F.
Smith) ; David Batterton, afterwards a mainstay in Bloomington church, and
Jonathan Rogers, the last named grandfather of many in the church today.
DATE OF CHURCH FORMATION.
A new impetus was given to the movement and many churches were
now formed in different parts of the county. Harmony and South Union
started in 1834, Richland and Clear Creek were organized in 1838. Union-
ville had a peculiar experience. The Baptist church of that village had as its
minister in 1848 James Blankenship. At this time he became convinced that
the Reformers had the true ground. He therefore invited his Baptist breth-
ren (after setting forth the argument) to go with him, which they did, and
he thus formed the Unionville Christian church, which took on the geo-
31-
l.AW'RFXrK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
graphical name. "Young's Ridge," which reported to the district meeting of
185 1 ninety members. Mount Gilead church was starting about the same
time, but in a small way, under the lead of Washington Houston as preacher.
John C. Mathes and Pressly Mathers were active in the work, the latter hav-
ing the first meetings at his house in the locust grove. Isaac Buskirk and
wife generously gave the land. Their first house was built in 1851. Mathes
and Mathers, in the district meeting of that year, reported the little church
had a membership of twenty members.
Mount Pleasant, up five miles east of Gosport, near the Morgan county
line, may have been the next church to get a start about 1850. It was repre-
sented in the district meeting of 185 1 by Penel Houston and John Cooter
(father of Elder Nathan Cooter and Benjamin Cooter. commissioner when
our new court house was built). They also reported their little church had
twenty members in May of that year. A church was also organized in
Benton township, known as the Bean Blossom church.
THE RAILROAD VILLAGES.
The New Albany and Salem railroad, stretching north and dotting sta-
tions along its line, helped to start several churches in the fifties. One of
these was Ellettsville. The people far to the east and five miles north of
Bloomington had begun their religious work at Maple Grove as early as 1850
and really helped Ellettsville make a beginning. The two worked together
for some years, holding meetings in common. The preachers gave the name of
"North Liberty" to the Maple Grove movement, but the designation seems
to have dropped ofif with the following years. The Houstons (J. W. and
y. O. A.) were leaders and liy August. 1851. they were able to report that
North Liberty had forty-seven members. This was before Ellettsville had got
on the church map. The people of these two churches found in B. M.
Blount (a college student) a man who was a tower of strength to them.
This worthy preacher may be still living at Indianapolis at this writing in
extreme old age. He visited Bloomington not many years ago.
Three other railroad villages must be remembered in mentioning Christ-
ian church planting, Stinesville, Smithville and Harrodsburg. The last named
is the oldest, but happened to get located away over the hills and out of
sight of the railroad builders. Preaching began here earlier than at the other
places, but has not kept its start. Moses Field was the most zealous and
most generous contributor to the building of their brick house, which was
completed in 1869. Rev. William F. Black, who had just held a great revival
LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 313
in Bloomington, was called to dedicate it. It illustrates what has been said
in these pages about modifying church names that at the dedication "Christ-
ian Church" was put up over the doors, but years afterward those words were
removed and "Church of Christ" was put in their place.
At Stinesville one man, John L. Ashbaugh, almost built the little church
himself in 1856. This burned in 1865, but his son-in-law,, James S. Williams,
provided an audience room in his business block. This, dedicated by Rev.
Thomas J. Clark in 1899, lasted them till they could buy a good church
house high up on Stinesville side-hill. At this writing, 1913, "Uncle Jimmy
Williams" is enjoying in his old age the friuts of his labors among his breth-
ren and fellow citizens.
Years ago you could see at Smithville one man doing the community a
great service. This was William Leonard. Under his lead they built the
Christian church in 1856. He was a good, true, safe. Christian leader. The
annual August meeting in Leonard's Grove may be regarded as an annual
memorial of William Leonard.
BLOOMINGTON PASTORS.
Let us now glance at the succession of pastors of the Bloomington Christ-
ian church. Beginning with 1834 }0U may mark ofif the score of years to
1854 as the period of the labors of James M. Mathes and Elijah Goodwin.
At first Mathes came from Owen county by monthly visits. Later he came
with his family in 1838, to attend college and be the settled minister. In
1 84 1 they remodeled and enlarged the church. In 1843 Mathes began pub-
lishing a magazine called the "Christian Record." Later Goodwin came and
helped him. Mathes was the chief editor, Goodwin the great worker. The
county and district co-operation owe their success to Goodwin. Thomas P.
Connelly was an able student preacher, 1843 to 1846. The stay of Prof.
Robert Milligan in the university during 1852 to 1854 was a great advantage
to the church. The pastorate of Randall Faurote and his good wife. 1859
to 1 86 1, brought a blessing to all the people. Then followed Harrison Hight.
lately graduated from the university. 1861 to 1863. James H. McCollough,
1864; Amzi Atwater. 1865 to 1867 (while he was a student or professor).
John LaGrange, 1868. W. B. F. Treat, 1869 to 1873. H. D. Carlton. 1875
to 1877. John H. Hamilton, 1878. Allen B. Philputt, 1879 to 1885, under
whose leadership the present Christian church was built. George B. Peak,
1886 to April, 1887. Peter J. Martin, 1888. Franklin Ross, 1889 to 1891.
L. T. Van Cleve, 1892 to 1894. Thomas J. Clark, 1894 to 1908. Joseph C.
314 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Todd, 1908 to 1912. ^^'illiam H. Smith, November i, 1912, to the present
time.
THE GREAT REFORMERS VISIT BLOOMINGTON.
Bloomington congregation has been favored by the visits of great men
and ardent missionaries. Barton W. Stone came, as has been mentioned, in
1826. Again he came in 1835, still again in 1838, and lastly in 1843, a year
before he died. Alexander Campbell came in 1850. He v^^as passing through
the state, accompanied by another noted man and pulpit orator, John O'Kane.
They stopped to attend our Indiana state constitutional convention, which was
then in session, and he was invited to conduct devotional exercises, v^'hich he
did. At Bloomington he addressed a university audience, preached in the
church and visited his old friend. President Andrew Wylie. Campbell came
again in 1861, while the mutterings of the coming war were being heard.
He was accompanied this time by Isaac Errett. Though he was still able to
set forth impressively the great doctrines of scripture, his mind was failing
in common matters of present time. This may have been his last journey
among the churches. His was a great mind and a noble life. He lived to see
the success of a world-wide reform.
One object of the writer of this historical sketch has been to correct
misunderstanding with regard to the people of whom he has written and
present to the public the facts as they occurred in this community. Many
worthy deeds have been done by noble men and women in years gone by, but
time fails me to duly record them. If they have not "subdued kingdoms,"
they have at least "wrought righteousness." Those who know of them
should tell the story to their children for a memorial of them to future gen-
erations. Take for in.stance Thomas Nesbit. James Mathes said of him. "one
of the best men ever in Monroe county." Dow Foster has written of him
for our Historical Society under the title, "History of Richland County:"
"For thirty-five years his home was a haven of refuge for the weary traveler,
and he was the faithful friend, counselor, spiritual adviser and judge for the
people."
Henry Dillman has written a most valuable history of Qear Creek
church, going back to its planting and its charter members. In that history
he has mentioned many good people; among the best of these was Samuel
Mathers. Read Dillman's History and see their names by the score.
Mount Gilead people have their history written up in a book of nearly
three hundred pages. They have thus recorded the generous deed of Isaac
l.AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 315
Buskirk in giving the land and as their members are called to the better world
they carefully record the death.
South Union church has its history started and expects to go on to
perfect it. Among the first things to be put down will be that P. L. D. Mit-
chell gave them the land for the church in 1846, but the present house seems
to have been built ten years later. Among the good men of that congregation
of the olden time you may write Elder James Shipman. He had been a
member of Bloomington before South Union was organized. Among the
good men of the later days we must remember the name of Jacob Car-
michael, whose funeral we attended with tearful eyes.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The withdrawal of some members of Bloomington Christian church in
November, 1877, may be regarded as the natural separation of the progres-
sive and the conservative element which frequently takes place. Those with-
drawing have successfully maintained their organization and have built a
good house at the comer of Fourth and Lincoln streets.
The Bloomington churcii has started a mission at the corner of Eleventh
and Indiana avenue for Sunday school and preaching purposes. It is doing
good work and will some day be a flourishing church. The efifort dates from
Christmas time, 1911.
A goodly number of churches adopted a form of co-operation in August,
1910. They have a county advisory committee made up of representatives
from each church. Their action is not binding on anybo4y, but just what its
name indicates. It has already awakened much activity.
The Kirkwood Avenue Bible Chair is an organization incorporated
October. 1910, for the more perfect education and cultivation of the young
people of the Christian church in the university. It ought to accomplish great
good.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Trinity Episcopal church, at Bloomington, is located on East Kirkwood
avenue, and is one of the finest specimen of church architecture in the city,
where so many fine edifices abound. The old church building, in the rear
of the new structure, is used as a parish house. This society purchased the
large stone chapter house, next to the church proper, and this is used as a
home for the Episcopal girls who attend the Indiana L'niversity. The latest
rector is Rev. William Burrows. This denomination has never been counted
3l6 LAVVKENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
among the strong churches of Monroe county, but here and there, especially
in Bloomington, there is a goodly following at present.
Other denominations and church societies of Bloomington are the
Christian Scientists, the Colored Methodist and Baptist churches, and the
Sahation Army, all doing a good work in their own special and unique man-
ner, reaching those whom the other sects could not hope to reach, under
present circumstances.
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
This is really a church of no special denomination, but adheres as near
as possible to the apostolic teachings. They separated from the Christian
church man\' }ears ago, being opposed to instrumental music in churches and
are also against organized missionary movements. About 1830 such a
society was organized in \'an Buren township. They first met at the resi-
dence of Joseph Berry, a leading member. In 1834 a church house was
erected and ser\ed many years. At Harrodsburg another was formed in
the thirties and is still in existence. Other points in this county where these
societies have a footing may be named, in Marion township, formed in the
forties: on ^'oung■s Ridge, about the same date, and they built in 1851 on
lot No. 26 in Unionville.
In Bloomington, the Lincoln Street Church of Christ is a strong society,
and recenth' erected a beautiful stone edifice on East Fourth street. Rev.
H. H. Adamson is pastor.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
About the year 1850, Catholics began to settle in and about the city of
Bloomington, at the time when the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago rail-
road was built. Hitherto, the most of the inhabitants were Scotch Presby-
terians, and had kept the Catholics from entering this territory. But, as the
railroad was the result of the work of Catholic people mostly, the members
of this denomination began to gather in Monroe county.
The first priest was the Rev. Patrick Murphy, who lived at Mt. I'leasant,
and visited Catholic families scattered along the line from Salem, in Wash-
ington county, to Gosport, in Owen county. Rev. Louis Neyron, who had
once been an officer in the great French army under Napoleon Bonaparte,
next visited this region and said mass to the Catholic families. During this
perit)d an important step was taken, namely, the purchase of a lot. Rev.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 317
Edward Martinovic, of Columbus, came next to this district, and then the
Rev. Simon Siegrist, of Indianapohs. Rew Joseph O'Reilly, stationed at
Greencastle, Putnam county, in [8()0, paid a visit to Bloomington on the 2nd
of December, i860, and made a regular practice of ^•isiting this place at
intervals. Rev. Charles J. Mongin, of Crawfordsville, became the \isiting
pastor in April, 1864. At this time the cpiestion of a church building l^e-
came agitated, the first mention having been made in 18^0. b_)hn Waldron
kindly purchased the oldest brick building in town, which was formerly a
Methodist church erected in 1826. This purchase was made on juh" 4,
1864, for six hundred dollars. Mass was first held in that church on the
igth day of that month of July, 1864. A mission was held shortly after-
wards by the Passionist Fathers, Martin and Luke, and was attended with
notable effect. From the departure of Father Mongin until the arrival of
the first resident pastor, the Rev. Julius Clement, residing at (ireencastle,
attended Bloomington and in 1868 built a parsonage.
Rev. Henry H. Kessing became the first resident priest at Bloomington
on November 4, 1868. He remained until July, 1877. Kev. Leopold M.
Burkhardt was appointed resident pastor on July 2<). 1877. The congrega-
tion at that time numbered twenty-se\'en families, and had two hundred and
seventy dollars in the treasure The necessity for the building of a new
church became apparent to the Catholics of Bloomington, as the old struc-
ture had been for a long time unsafe for use. This was a difficult and
doubtful undertaking, ])ut the memt)ers set to work with a will not to be
defeated. The Rev. August Bessonies laid the corner stone for the new
house of worship on June 16, 1878. and in December of the same year the
congregation took possession of their new church. The structure was of
Gothic architecture, sixty by thirty-five feet, with a hundred-foot steeple,
and cost five thousand six hundred dollars.
In March, 1879, Rev. John B. Unxerzagt succeeded b'ather I'.urkhardt
as resident pastor. On Se|)teml)er 7, 1879, the church of which St. Charles
B. is the patron, was consecrated by liishop Chatard. blather Cnverzagt
continued until 1882, when he was in turn succeeded by Rev. T. X. Logan.
Rev. Af. H. Bogemann. the present pastor of the church at Blooming-
ton, came here in June, 1885. He had under his charge on his arrival seven
counties, Owen, Greene, Brown, Monroe, Lawrence, Orange and Washing-
ton. Father Bogemann has served continuall\- since that time, and has won
a place of respect and affection with everyone in the cit)- of Bloomington.
His fidelitv, devotion and sympathetic intercourse with the people is char-
3l8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
acteristic of the man. Broad and logical in intellect, tender as a child, but
with Viking strength and unswerving integrity, Father Bogemann graces
well the holy position which he occupies. The church at Bloomington now
numbers five hundred souls. Plans are being considered for the erection of
a new church at a different location. This undertaking, of course, is ac-
companied by difticulties, but with the wise leadership of the priest it is a
near realization. An adecjuate i:)arochial school will also be established with
the church.
Father Bogemann was born in Franklin county, this state, on March
lo, i860, and was the son of Henry and Elizal>eth (Broxtermann) Boge-
mann. His parents resided in Cincinnati, Ohio, before his birth, but finding
climatic conditions there unsuited to the father's health, moved into Franklin
county, Indiana. Rev. M. H. Bogemann was educated by the Benedictine
Fathers in Spencer county, Indiana, at St. Meinard's College and Seminary.
In the year from 1899 to 1900 he attended Oxford College. England, doing
post-graduate work, and was known as the first Catholic priest, secular priest,
to matriculate in Oxford since the days of the Reformation. Father Boge-
mann has been interested in architectural work during his life, and has re-
garded the profession as sort of an avocation. He drew plans and built the
first Catholic church at French Lick in 1886. He also constructed the Bed-
ford church, and later planned the construction of Kirkwood hall. Indiana
University, for the state. The school authorities had given up the building
of this last edifice because the plans could not be made to fit in with the
amount of appropriation, due to the high cost of stone. Father Bogemann
took charge of the work, reconstructed the architectural drawings to a
straight line style, and arranged so that the building could be built, with
funds left over. Father Bogemann was chairman of the building committee
of the Monroe countv court house, and suggested the use of concrete in its
construction.
LODGES OF THE COUNTY.
Without attempting to go into the detailed history of the workings of
the civic orders of the county, it will be but proper to give some facts con-
cerning the three prominent secret fraternities, the Masons, Odd Fellows and
Knights of Pythias.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 319
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
Cecilia Lodge No. i66, at Bloomington, was instituted by J. B. Ander-
son, grand master, August i. 1853, the following being the charter member-
ship: H. C. Smith, John W. Smith, L. M. Hays, C. H. Laird, Daniel
Shrader, C. R. Miner, John Warner, Theodore Johnson, Peter Clemison and
Thomas H. Sinex. It had a membership of one hundred and fifty in 1884,
was in a flourishing condition, and owned a good lodge room on College
avenue. It also had an encampment here, known as Herndon No. 56, insti-
tuted at Gosport. August, 1858, but in January, 1862, was removed to Bloom-
ington. At present the membership. of the subordinate lodge at Blooming-
ton is three hundred and fifty, and its elective officers are : Mort Gaskins,
noble grand ; Edwin Carmichael. vice-grand ; Arthur G. Lewis, recording
secretary ; A. H. Beldon, financial secretary ; Lsaac W. Walker, treasurer.
This order owns a good hall on Walnut street. The encampment in Bloom-
ington has a membership of about one hundred and sixty, with present officers :
A. H. Beldon. chief priest; James H. Cooper, high priest: W. J. Durst, senior
warden ; Harrv Barnes, junior warden ; Isaac W. Walker, treasurer.
In the side towns of this county are located Odd Fellows lodges as fol-
lows: Ellettsville; Oolitic Lodge, at Stinesville; Arbutus Lodge, at Clear
Creek ; Harrodsburg Lodge, at Harrodsburg, each having about one hundred
members. Ellettsville has also an encampment.
FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.
The first Masonic lodge in Monroe county was instituted at Blooming-
ton, as Monroe Lodge No. 22. Its detailed history is not attainable at this
date, but is being prepared by a committee of the fraternity, in a booklet form,
but too late for insertion in this work of the county. The fraternity is strong
here, having in Bloomington alone three hundred and sixty members, with
present officers as follows: John T. Eller, worshipful master; Fred A.
Seward, senior warden; Stacy O. Harrell. junior warden: Frank C. Duncan,
treasurer : Hugh Baker, secretary ; Joseph Boyd, tyler.
Bloomington Chapter No. 70, Royal Arch Masons, was organized in
1867, by the following membership: Cyrus Nutt, Hiram Gilmore, G. \\\
Hardin. J. J. Durand, J. J. Hight, Asher. Labertew, George Sheeks, M. C.
Hunter, J. G. McPheeters, M. L. McCullough, J. B. Hamilton, Augustine
Holtzman and J. T. Holtzman. The present membership of this chapter is
320
LAWRF.NCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
one hundred and fifty. Its present ( 1913) officers are: Orville B. Fuller,
high priest; Alilton L. I'xjrden, exalted king; Fred A. Seward, exalted scrihe ;
Lon D. Rogers, treasurer ; Hugh Baker, secretar)- ; John L. Boyd, tyler.
Bloomington is also the home of a council of Royal and Select Masters,
but there is no comniandcry of Knights Templar.
In other parts of the county this ancient and honorable order has flourish-
ing lodges at the following points: Ellettsville, Stanford and Harrodsburg.
The lodge rooms of this county will compare favorably with any county in
the state, where there are no larger towns.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
This is the youngest of the three great secret orders, and was first insti-
tuted in Monroe county in Bloomington. It was Franklin Lodge No. 22.
It moved on rapidly until today it has a membership of three hundred and
ten, with the following present elective ofticers : W. A. Wellon, chancellor
commander; Fred Hazel, vice-commander; H. E. Wahl, prelate; Arthur
Lewis, master of work; John T. Foster, master of exchecjuer ; John Kirby,
master of finance ; Wilson I. Ross, keeper of records and seal ; Walter Billeg,
master at arms ; Keneth Stout, inside guard ; Walter Pruett, outside guard.
The county has lodges of this order at the following points : At Smith-
\ille, Stinesville, Stanford, Harrodsburg and Ellettsville. In each there is
a round membership of about one hundred.
:' CHAPTER XII.
THE LEGAJ. AND MEDICAL PROFluSSIONS.
These two professions haxe been al)ly represented in AJijnroe connt_\ and
its county seat, Blooniington. it will not be possible to give a detailed account
of all who have served as either lawyers or physicians here for the last ninety
odd years, but the following will call to memory many of those who have
graced the two professions with the flight of years; also there will be found
in conclusion, the names of the present attornexs and phwsicians of the county.
In searching for those who have practiced law, for a longer or shorter
peri(jd, the writer has had much difticult}', as tlierc are no I'ecord.s kept in
regular order nf tliese legal men. We depend du the memory of older men,
and on books and ])apers published man\' \-ears since, for what data we have
collected, b'rom such sources it is learned that the following ha\'e |)racticed
law here, the list not calculated to be gi\en chronologically:
Eli K. Milieu, who commenced the practice of law here in the autumn of
1858, was born in this countv in i<S37: graduatetl at the uni\ersity here .in
1858: was prosecuting attorney tw(j years: was considered the best lawyer in
the countv manv vears ago. He acted as a special judge in Monroe county
at \arious times. Politically, he was a life-long Democrat.
John PI. Louden, a Peimsyhauian b\- l)irth, was the son of an elder in the
Reformed Presbyterian church. Pie taught school in 1861 -fij. and during
the last year studied law as well, his preceptor being Judge Read of Conners-
ville. He also assisted in the summer of 1862 in raising a com])an\- of Ci\il
war troops for the Fifth Indiana Regiment, and intended entering the >er\-ice.
but was taken ill and abandoned the thought, lie bad charge of tbe lUooiii-
iiu/toii Republican, at the same time reading law with judge Hughes. He
graduated from the law department of Indiana Tniversit}- in r8r)4 and at once
commenced the practice of his profession. He had fm- bis i)artners -;uch men
as Capt. John W. McCoy, Frank Wilson and Hon. M. V. Hunn. als,, R. \V.
Miers. He became one of the state's best lawvers.
George A. Buskirk, born in 1820. the son of .\bram Puskirk. was edu-
cated at the Rloomington schools, then entered the ofhce of David Browning,
clerk of the Afonrop countv coiu't. He entered the jireparatorv course of
(2T)
322
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Indiana University just as the war with Mexico broke out, and he enHsted
at Lafayette, but transferred to the Third Indiana Regiment, under Col.
James H. Lane, serving till the end of that war. He followed the printer's
trade for a few \ears, on the Democratic paper at Bloomington, and in 1849
began the study of law, graduating from Indiana University in 1850. In
1856 he was elected judge of this circuit, and was re-elected in i860. He
was sent to the Legislature in 1867, being again elected to the same position
of trust in 1868-69, and was speaker of the Lower House. In 1871 he organ-
ized the First National Bank of Bloomington, and was made its president.
In war days he was greatly appreciated by Governor Morton, who appointed
him colonel of the Indiana Legion.
John \\". Buskirk. second son of John B. Buskirk, was born in 1845 '^'i
Lawrence count}', Indiana, and entered the State University of Indiana in
1859. He enlisted in Company G, h^orty-ninth Indiana Regiment, serving
until June, 1863. He soon entered the law office of Hon. J. L. Collins at
North America, and after two years formed a partnership with his preceptor.
Two years later he removed to Paoli, where he was a law partner of his
brother until 1869, then moved to Bloomington, Indiana, and after two years
formed a partnership with Lester L. Norton, l>ecoming two years later a part-
ner of H. C. Duncan. He was a successful lawyer and in time was elected
prosecuting attorney. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat.
Hon. John R. East, born in Indian Creek township, this county, in 1845,
was the son of pioneer William East, who settled here in 1828. In February,
1864. he enlisted in Company I, Fifty-ninth Indiana Regiment, serving nearly
two vears during the war of the Rebellion, aiid was with Sherman on his
famous march to the sea. He returned, taught school and in March, 1869,
entered the law office of Judge S. H. Buskirk. He graduated from the Uni-
\ersity in 1870, and fc^rmed a law partnership with James H. Rogers, after
which he assumed the duties of circuit clerk. He then resumed his law prac-
tice, having for partners, at dififerent times, Hon. C. \\'. Henderson, and
Colonel W. C. L. Taylor. In October. 1878, he was appointed prosecuting
attorney, served a year, remaining in jjractice alone until 1882, when he
formed a partnership with his brother, William H. East.
William H. East, a native of this county, l>orn in 1852 in Indian Creek
township, and the voungest of seven children in the family, when eighteen
years old entered the printing office of Thomas Purcell. One year later,
seeing he had missed his calling, he taught school until 1874, when he became
deputy clerk, then taught and read law alternately for three )'ears. He then
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 323
farmed two years and taught another year, after which he formed a partner-
ship with his brother, J. R. East, in the law business, which proved to Ixt his
success in Hfe.
Robert C. Foster, born in i'hihidelphia, I'ennsylvania, in 1S31, entered
Indiana University in 1844, graduating in 1850. lie went back to his native
city and studied law two years and was elected deputy auditor of Monroe
county, under William Tarkingtou, ser\ing until 1S55. He was then elected
auditor, and in 1859 was re-elected. In 1863 he went into the dry goods
trade for three years, and was then elected county clerk, and after four years
in that office practiced law for a time and was made cashier of the Blooming-
ton First National Bank ,ser\ing until 1880, after which he practiced the legal
profession. For twentv-five vears he served faithfully and well as secre-
tarv of Indiana University. In 1876 he was elected to a seat in 'tlie State
Legislature and held other positions of trust in Monroe county.
John Graham was born in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1842. where he re-
sided until manhood. He entered the State I'niversity, at Bloomington,
graduating from the law department. In 1870 he was elected librarian of
the supreme court of Indiana, served two years, returned to Bloomington,
and soon engaged in his profession. In 1882 he was elected as representative
to the Indiana Legislature, and also had a large real estate business.
J. E. Henley, born in 1856, in Orange county, Indiana, came to Bloom-
ington when fifteen years of age. He graduated in 1873 from the State Uni-
versity with high honors. The following autumn he took the chair of Greek
in Smiths Grove College, Kentuckw but a \ear later was made superintendent
of the city schools in Shoals, Indiana, serving two vears. He studied law and
in 1880 entered upon his regular ]uactice. He was a jiartner of William P.
Rogers. In 1882 was elected prosecuting attorney in which he made an
efficient official.
Hon. Robert W'. Miers, Ijorn in 1848, was reared to farm labor, but at
the age of sixteen commenced to teach school. In 1868 he entered the State
University of Indiana, graduating in 1871. One )ear later he graduated
from the law department, and was at once admitted to the practice of law.
In the spring of 1874 he became a partner of Judge Echols, and was one year
later elected prosecuting attorney, on the Democratic ticket, and re-elected
in 1878. He served as a representative from this county, and developed into
an excellent attorney and served on the bench of his district.
James F. Morgan was born in Harrodsburg, Indiana, in 1855, and after
obtaining a common school education taught school to secure funds with
324 LAWRENCE AND .MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
which to enter the State L'iii\ersity, which he did in Septeml>er, 1874, re-
mained one year and again laught sch(jul. Jn 1877 he entered the North-
ern Indiana Xornial at \alparaiso, whence lie gradnated in the teacher's
department in 1878. lie then taught in StinesviUe and Rockville, Indiana,
and in June. 1881, entered the law office of Buskirk & Duncan, of Blooming-
ton, and was soon appointed deputy prosecuting attorne}- of Monroe county
by Judge Mavity, and after his term expired was engaged in the law and real
estate business.
feremiah I'. I'ittman, jjurn in 1842, in Orange county. Indiana, received
a common school education, and at fourteen years of age went to school in
Leaxenworth, Crawford county. Indiana. In the fall of 1861 he began teach-
ing, but resigned, and in Xo\ember, that year, enlisted in Company F,
h'iftieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, serving o\ er three years in the Union
cause in Cix'il war days. After his return he was elected county recorder,
served three years and in the meantime studied law and entered the practice
of that profession in IJloomington. He attended law school in the winter of
1867-68, graduating in June, 1 8r)8. Four years later he was appointed
prosecuting attornev for this district, lie was also a count\- commissioner
of Monroe county, and a law partner of Major Mulky.
William P. Rogers was born in 1857. in ISrown countw Indiana, and at
the age of sixteen entered the high school of I'loomington, remaining two
years. During 1875-76 he taught scliool in I'.rown county, and in i87() he
entered the State Cnixersilw remained three \ears ;nul then began reading
law with Buskirk t\: Duncan. In 1^71; he formed a i.iartnership in law with
F. E. Sadler, but after a short time practiced alone until the fall of 1881, when
he became a jjartner of J. K. Henley and both had a large clientage.
C. R. Worrall was born in .Marion. Iowa. In 1871 he entered Asbury
b'ni\ersity (now DeFauw Cni\ersit\). remained three A'ears, and then
entered tiie law department nf Indiana Cnixersity. from which he graduated
in 1876. Two years later he commenced the regular jjractice of law at
Bloomington. hie remained here onlv two \ears and removed to Ogden,
Iowa, practicing there three years, iluring which time he served as city attor-
ney and citv recorder. In the autunm of 1881 he returned to Bloomington.
and. after teaching for a time, engaged in law i)ractice.
H. C. Duncan, born in 1845, in Fawrence county. Indiana, entered the
State University in 1864. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth
Indiana Regiment in October, 1864. He graduated from college in 1868: in
i86q was appointed enrolling clerk in the Indiana Fegislature, and in 1872
LAWRENCE AND MONR()E COCXTIKS, INDIANA. 325
loriiiecl a partiiL^rshin with Mr. Dunn in law practice. Two years later lie went
to Bloomington and had tor a ]jartner John \\". Ikiskirk. In iSSo he was
elected prosecuting attorney.
THE PRE.SENT RAK OF MONROE COUN'rV.
The members ol" the bar in this countv in Ud^ were all residing at the
county seat, as near as can be learned from the counl\' clerk. Thev are these :
Batman. .Miller ^X: Blair, h'rank J. Durm, Ernest .\. Darbv, Rutus H. East.
Jess B. Eields. Joseph E. Henley. Walter E. Hottel. Thomas J. Louden.
^^"illiam M. Louden. Lee & Lee. Miers X- Corr, R. L. Morgan, :Malott & Bar-
clay. John E. Regester. Springer &- Sare. Judge John B. Wilson. Wellons lK:
Carpenter. Charles B. Waldron.
l'[IVSrCI,\XS OF TIT!--. COl'NTV.
Among the earliest doctors of Moriroe county ma\' be recalled the names,
lives and characters of such as Drs. David H. Maxwell. W. C. ^\^ster. Roach.
Jenkins and Janies D. Maxwell.
Dr. J. Ci. McPheeters. a native of Kentuckx. born in rSi 1. studied medi-
cme under Dr. 1). hi. Maxwell and others here and in Kentucky. Fie came
to Bloomington in the spring of o'^^i and entered the .State Cni\ersity. grad-
uating in 183.4. In 1838 he commenced to stud\- medicine innler Dr. War-
field, of Lexington. Keinucky : the next yeai- he returned to B.loomington,
and resuivied, his studies w ith Dr. Maxwell. In the spring of 1840 he began
practice in .Morgantown. Indiana. 1X41 lif came to IMoomington and entered
into i)artnershi]) with Dr. .Alcixwell. continuing until iN5(). In August. 1861,
he entered the L'm'on army as a surgeon of the I'ourteenth Indiana Regmient.
ser\ing three }ears. In 1864 he was honorablv discharged an.l upon his re-
turn home engaged in the practice of his profession.
Dr. J. E. Dodds was liorn in 1807 and was reared in Lincoln county,
Kentucky. He entered the State Cni\er>it\- when twenty years of age.
graduating in 1834. He taught in the university se\eral years and also taught
in Cumberland College. Kentucky. In 183Q he began reading medicine and
entered Louisville Medical College. In ^Vugust. iX|o. he entered into part-
nershi]i with Dr. Mitchell and began regular ]>ractice at Corydon. Indiana,
where he remained fne years. l*"rom i86j to 1 8S_' he was examining sur-
geon for the pension department.
Dr. James M. Harris, born in Kentucky in 181Q, at the age of twenty
326 .LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
years entered the office of Dr. S. P. Langdon, of Gosport, and soon located
at Ellettsville, this county. He was the only doctor of that place and had a
large, paying practice. In 1865 he established a drug business and later
retired to his two-hundred-acre farm. He opened the first hotel at Elletts-
\ille in 1850. He was a public spirited man and made many warm friends.
Dr. Rice C. Harris, born in Owen county, Indiana, in 1834, was four-
teen years old when he removed with the family to Ellettsville, where he at-
tended, and in 185 1 taught school. In 1852. under his brother, Dr. J. M.
Harris, he ccjmmenced the study of medicine. In 1856-57 he attended lec-
tures at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and later engaged in the medical practice with
his brother, Ixit shortly left for Coles county, Illinois, where he practiced four
years, then moved to this county again He made a handsome property and
owned several farms and houses. He was postmaster and served as such
sixteen years at his township residence.
Dr. James Dodd, born in 1832, in Lawrence county, Indiana, lived on the
old home farm until 1855, when he commenced the study of medicine with
doctors at Bedford, I'ennsyhania. He located in Harrodsburg in 1857, and
in the winter of 1858-59 graduated from the Ohio Medical College. In 1870
he exchanged his town property for eighty acres of land and there carried
on agriculture as well as practiced medicine. He was appointed surgeon of
the Sixty-seventh Indiana Regiment in 1862. His health prevented a long
stay in the ser\ ice of his country.
Dr. G. W. Bryan was Ijorn in 1825, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania.
His educational facilities were poor in his youth. He commenced the trade
of a tailor, w ith his l)rotlier, w ho died two years later. He then spent three
vears at that trade in .Vllegheny county, Penns\l\ania, after which he worked
as a journeyman a year, and then opened a shop in Indiana. He studied
metlicine with a Dr. 3*1 oon for two years, and attended lectures at Cleveland
in the Western Reserve College of Medicine, l)eginning his practice in Alle-
gheu)' county, Pennsyh'ania. He came to Bloomington in 1855 and at once
set up his practice here. In December, 1862, he was appointed assistant sur-
geon of the Sixty-seventh Regiment of Indiana X'olunteers. He was a stanch
churchman of the L'nited Presbyterian faith.
Dr. A. J. Axtell. born in Washington countw Indiana, in 1827. became
one of the leading physicians in Monroe county. He commenced the study
of medicine in [847 in Xoble count)-, Ohio, continuing four years. He
engaged in regular practice in 1850 and moved to Greene county, Indiana,
where he continued twenty years and had a large practice. He came to
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 327
Bloomington in 1873 and ever afterwards practiced the art of healing. He
served as captain in Civil war days in Company A, Ninety-seventh Indiana
Regiment.
Dr. J. H. Gaston, born in Greene ccjunty, Indiana, in 1844, ^^'^^ reared
on a farm. He attended the academy at Bloomfield, Indiana, and one term
at Asbury University, Greencastle, and taught school for two terms. In
August, 1862, he enlisted in the Ninety-seventh Regiment Indiana Volun-
teers and saw much hard fighting service. At Kenesaw Alountain he received
a wound in his arm which disabled him, so he came home. He studied
medicine with Dr. Bailey at Stanford, and attended Miami Medical College,
graduating in 1872, when he set up his practice at Stanford, where he had a
fair practice.
Dr. Robert M. Weir was born m Richland township, Monroe county, in
1841. He entered the State University, at Bloomington, in 1857, graduating
in 1863. He commenced the study of medicine that autumn, under Dr. J. D.
Maxwell, but after eight months enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and
Thirty-third Regiment from Indiana, as a "hundred day man." In the fall
of 1864 he entered the University of Michigan, graduating from the medical
department in March, 1866. In the seventies he came to Bloomington where
he built himself up in a good practice.
Dr. L. T. Lowder, who was born in Lawrence count}-, Indiana, in 184O,
received a good literary education at the State University at Bloomington,
and, after attending a full course at the Indiana State Medical College, he
graduated in 1873 and came to Harrodsburg, where for many years he was
a successful physician and surgeon, as the term was then understood.
Dr. Chesley D. ]\lcLahlan. a native of Lawrence county, was born in
1847 of Scotch-Irish origin. He attended the home schools and later the
schools of Bedford, Indiana, where he ol)tained a fair common school educa-
tion. He was a member of the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Indiana Regi-
ment, serving until the Civil war had ended. In 1867 he came to Harrodsburg
and commenced the stud}- of medicine in the office of Dr. Beard, a very prom-
inent physician. He later attended Rush Medical College, graduating in 1871.
He then commenced his regular practice at Harrodsburg. He succeeded re-
markably well, and was one of the men whom we may truthfully call "self-
made."
Dr. R. M. (ireer was born in 1851, in Troup count}-, (ieorgia, l.)ut owing
to the condition of ])ul)lic schools in the South at thai date, had but little
chance for an education. He went to school after the war at Davisville,
328 r.AWREN'CK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Alabama. He then spent some nKmtlis at Lonisville Medical College and two
terms at the Louisville l'ni\ersit \ . The family remo\e(l to Monroe county,
this state, in 1870, antl to Stines\illc in 187J. where he was engaged in the
stone quarries three Aears, after wliich he liegan tlie stud}' of medicine with
Dr. Smith, of (iosport, hnishing his course in the College of Medicine and
practical at (losport erne year, then located at Stines\-ille, where he won dis-
tinction in his profession. He also conducted a good drug ])usiness at the
same place.
Dr. Henr\- P. Tourner was ])orn in W'aterford. Ireland, ui uSii. His
father d\ing while the son was \et an infant, he was placed in the hands of an
uncle to rear and educate him. When twenty-three years of age he \vent
to Canada, then to Chicago, after which he drifted .South. In 1840 he pre-
pared himself for a medical man, whicli ])rofession he followed in Mississippi,
Tennessee and Kentuckw iinallv locating in lUoomington, Indiana, in 1858,
entering on a general medical praclice. wdiich he continued until his ileath, in
1881. As a citizen, he a!wa\-s commanded the ;ittention of e\eryone in his
circle of ac(|uaintance, heing charitalde, faitliful and tender-hearted. As a
doctor he possessed rare skill. I' or twenty-three years he was an office-
bearer in the Church of Christ, and an active member of the Masonic lodge.
Dr. John P. Tourner, son of Dr. Henry P. Tourner, above mentioned,
was born in 1854, in Kentucky, but reared near Bloomington, Indiana. In
1873 he commenced the study of medicine with his father, and two years
later eiUered the h'.clectic Medical College at (.."incinnati, remaumig one year,
then returned to IHoomington, forming a ])arlners]iip \vitli hi^' lather in the
medical |jractice. He took up his father's large practice, at the latter's death
in October. 1881.
Dr. |olin D. .Simpson was born in ()wen count}-, Iventucky, in 1846.
He obtained a lietter lilerarv educatiou ihan the ax'crage doctor (d' his da}- and
generatiou. In 1 8O4 he went to Louis\-ille, Kentuck}-, and was for one }-ear
engaged ni ;i wholesale con-imission house. In that cit}-, in 1 8(';6, he began
the stud}- of medicine, graduating at the Cnixersit}- of Medicine there in 1868.
The same }ear he came to 1 lehons\i]le. Indiana, and oi)ened his jiractice.
He graduated at I'elleNue Hospital, Xew ^'ork, in ]87c\ and went to Bedford
to i)ractice his i)rofession. In 1880 he remoNed lo Harrodslmrg, this count}-,
where he also engaged in the drug trade.
Dr. John K. Harris w-as born in KeiUuck}- in 1847. His father was
liookkeeper a number of \-ears and in i85(') was elected city assessor of Louis-
x'ille, serving until 1873; he died in 1880. In 1863, John T{. entered the
laboratory of Prof. Jenkins, and clerked in a drug store until 1865. He ran
I.AWRENCF, AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 329
a drug trade, at the same time studying medicine, graduating in \S()H, fr(_)m a
IDractical school of medicine and su!-gery. He graduated from sexeral schiiols
of medicine and practiced in Louis\ille until 1S76. then removed to I'.loom-
ington. Indiana, where he worked himself into an excellent ])ractice.
Dr. William L. W'hitted was born in Bedford, Indiana, in 1842. In
i8()i he enlisted as a member of Company B, Eighteenth Indiana Regiment,
and in 18O3 was made sergeant, ancl sulisequentlv \eteranized and was pro-
moted to second lieutenant : was then captain and major until the ci\il struggle
had ended. Having prepared himself and practiced some as a phvsician in
1869 he came to Monroe county. Indiana, locating in bdlettsxille. In 1877-78
he attended antl graduated from Miami Medical L'ollege. In 1881 he estalv
lished himself in the drug trade with .Mr. Hughes.
PRESENT PHYSICIANS OF COUNTY.
As near as can be learned the following were practicing medicine in
Bloomington and the smaller towns within Monroe counl\' in the month of
September, 1913 :
At Bloomington the_\- were 1\. A. Aikin, V. 11. Ilatman. \\\ X. Culmer,
Fletcher (iardner, Luc_\- Ciardner, C \i. Harris, Phili]) C Holland, (i. V. Hol-
land. J. E. P. Holland, J. E. Luzadder. O. F. Rogers, R. C. Rogers, John C.
Ross, Rodney I'. Smith, Charles C. Stroup, ¥. U. Tournev, j. P. Tourne\', L.
E. Whetsell, James W.' Wiltshire, Homer Woolery, Dr. Bobbitt.
in the outlying towns are: At Stinesville, Dr. W. Pice IPjltzman; at
Harrodsburg, Dr. D. J. Holland: at Snuthville. Dr. j. ixentlmg. and at Clear
Creek. Dr. Morris.
With the passing of the decades, mucli achancement has l)een made in
the count}- in the methods of ])racticing medicine. a< well a> in other arts and
professions. It goes without saying that the doctor^ of long ago clid the
best they knew how. and in nian\- wa}-s were e\'en more faithful to the knowl-
edge the\ possessed than modern-da\- practitioners. In surgery, they were
not ad\anced much, but toda}- this lirancli of medical science has ad\-anced
rapidly, e\en in the la>t twent\- _\'ears. Operations once belie\ed impossible
to perform are easil_\- handled now. The old doctors did not ha\e the aid of
local hos])itals, hence could not meet with the success that now attends the
profession. Then be praise given in record form, in the annals of Monroe
county, to those old "family doctors'" who rode against the biting frosts of
manv se\'ere winters, in darkness and da\light. for the hojie of pav or with-
out it. Peace to their ashes !
CHAPTER Xlil.
MILITARY HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
The resolutions creating" Monroe county from a portion of Orange
county were passed by the General Assembly of Indiana and approved
on the 14th of January, 1818, and in the year after, 1819, the county of Mon-
roe was formed, as a district, for the organization of the Tw^entieth Regiment
of Indiana militia. The memories of the war of 1812 were fresh in the minds
of the people and the necessity of trained troops was realized by force of the
inadequacy of the soldiery in the Revolution and later conflict in 1812, in ad-
dition to the continuous and sanguinary struggles with the hostile Indian
tribes. Monroe county, as an organized district, was not represented in these
early wars, but her men were scattered through the ranks of the American
army, and contributed nobly to the service of the country. The long list of
the honored dead and the heroic tales, scraps of narrative, and other incidental
records attest the bravery, the sacrifice, and the suffering of these men of
the territory now Monroe county. The fear of the savages who roamed the
wilderness was uppermost in the apprehension of the pioneers, and conse-
quently the militia came to be in that day the prime institution of the county.
Constant vigilance was observed on the frontier, and everything kept in readi-
ness for any outbreak on the part of the savages who were stubbornly giving
ground to the onward march of the settlers. Even after the removal of the
tribes from Monroe county, the militia was kept intact for several years, until
the active interest in the organization began to wane, and the military system
became a mere comedy compared to its former state. As the troubles with
the Indians had in a measure subsided, the troops that once had paraded
]jroudly before the admiring crowds now degenerated into riotous, drinking
fellows, reveling in Bacchanalian sports of all descrijition ; horse racing and
games M'cre substituted for the red-blooded pastimes when the knowledge was
imminent that the next moment a call might come for an expedition into the
field. John Storm was the first colonel of the Twentieth Regiment, and in
1822 he was succeeded by John Ketchum. After the service of this latter
itfficcr the men who headed the Monroe countv militia are lost to historical
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 33I
record. It is known, however, that \Villiam Lowe was a brigadier-general
i)f the Twentieth for a short period.
The first war of any prominence in A\hich Monroe county liad the o[)por-
tunity to show the mettle of her troops was the Mexican. 'Hie tirst call for
troops came from Washington in May, 1846, and almost immediately two
full companies of militia were organized within the borders of this county.
Bloomington was the tirst meeting point, and the entire enlistment congregated
in that town for regimental and battalion muster, lliere w ere stirring times
in Monroe county during those days, business was practically at a standstill
and the usual activities of the day were forsaken in the martial excitement that
prevailed. A full company of volunteers was ready for the field by the first
of June, 1846, having been trained to a nicety in the art of military maneuvers
and tactics. Their knowledge of the war game in this day and age would
indeed seem primitive, but then their skill was considered paramount, and was
adec[uate by reason that the opposing forces possessed no greater facilities.
The ofificers of this first company were as follows : John M. Sluss, captain ;
John Eller, first lieutenant ; Aquilla Rogers, second lieutenant. The company
was given the company letter A, and was assigned to the Third Regiment,
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which regiment assembled at New Albany, and
the company left Bloomington on the 15th of June for the front, accompanied
by the cheers of their friends and relatives, and presented with a handsome
American flag, the presentation speech having been made b) .Miss Sarah
Markle. Company A soon arrixed at the scene of hostilities and were quickly
engaged in actual conflict with the Mexicans. The comi)am- i)articipated in
the battle of Buena Vista, receiving their Iwptism of blood with many other
troops from the North country. Several of the Monroe county hoys, among
them Buskirk, Applegate, Stout and Holland, were killed, and many others
received wounds of varying character. Most of the company were mustered
out at the close of the war with high honors, and returnetl to Monroe county
to make .succeBses of the civil life as well as the military.
In the year 1847 ^ call came from the government for three more full
companies of militia from Indiana, and one Daniel Lunderman ix'gan to raise
the required troops. He was successful in recruiting a full company, which was
assigned the letter G, of the Fourth Regiment, Indiana \'olunteer Infantry.
As was the custom, the company was accorded a glorious farewell, the towns-
people turning out en masse, and presenting the departing soldiers with an
American banner. This comi)any was in the (li\ision which accompanied
Gen. Winfield T. Scott on his memoraljle march from W-ra Cruz to Mexico
33^
AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
City, and they engaged in all the battles fought along that historic route. A
nunilier of the Alonrue county men were killed and scores were wounded, but
the roster of their names is not available. Many of these brave fellows who
lost their lives were Ijuried in the land south of the Rio Grande, and today their
graves are unmarked and forgotten, but their deeds are forever written in the
pages of historw Company G returned when the war was ended, and received
honorable discharge. Their record was a commendable one. individually and
collectively, and Monroe county has seen fit luany times since to accord honors
to their memor}-.
Militarism in Monroe county now entered upon a period of quiescence,
not to be interrupted until the firing ujion I^ort Sumter in .\])ril, t86i. The
first omen of civil trouble in Monroe county occurred on l*>bruary 2, 1860,
when the citizens of the county seat and surrounding country were given notice
to meet at the county court house to discuss the general state of the Union and
the proljabilities of war. The citizens were invited to come irrespective of
party alignment. T^dge G- A. lUiskirk was nominated chairman of the meet-
ing: G. 1". Tulcv and J. 1'.. .Mulky were made secretaries: and M. C. Hunter,
Benianun Wolfe, Dr. W. G. b'oster. 1^ T. liutler and Elias Al)el were ap-
pointed as a committee to draft proper resolutions signifying the tenor of the
meeting. During the alisence of the l)ody ]H-eparing the formal copy of the
resolutions, se\-eral interesting incidents occurred, notal)le among them ])eing
Governor Dunning's witlulrawal from the meeting and declaration that he was
an all\' of no party until the differences l)etween the North and South had been
amicalilv settled. Prof. John ^'oung indulged in a little oratory, speaking
against the "Grittenden Gompi-omise,"" and in favor of the Constitution as it
stood, but was perfectl}' willing to abide 1)y the 'Toorder State Resolutions,"
which, all in all, was a very convenient stand for the estimable gentleman to
take, for no matter which wa\- be fell there would be a support waiting for him.
The committee finall}- came in and lianded in their set of resolutions.
Thev declared in favor of the so-called "Border State Resolutions," which
recommended the repeal of the I'ersonal Liberty bills ; the amendment of the
Fugitixe Slave law. so as to jM-event kidnapping, and to provide for the equal-
ization of the comnussioner's fee, etc. : that the Constitution be amended so as
to prohibit an\- interference with slavery in au)- of the states where it then
existed : that Congress should not abolish slavery in the Southern dock-yards,
arsenals, etc., nor in the District of Colum])ia, without the consent of Mary-
land and the inbaliitants of the district, nor without compensation; that Con-
gress sliould not interfere with the inter-.state slave trade; that African slave-
J.AWKENCE AND MONROE CCJUNTIES, INDIWA. ;^^^
trade should be absolutely prohibited ; that the line of thirty-six degrees, thirty
minutes, should be run through all the existing territory of the United States,
that in all north of that line slavery should be prohibited, and that south of
the line neither Congress nor the Territorial Legislature should thereafter pass
any law abolishing, prohibiting, or in any manner interfering with African
slaver)' ; and that when any territory containing a sufficient population for one
member of Congress in any area of sixty thousand square miles should apply
for admission as a state it should be admitted, with or without slavery, as its
Constitution might determine. I he committee also reported favorably on the
fifth resolution of the "Crittenden Compromise,'" empowering Congress to pay
an owner full value of a slave in cases where the marshal is prevented from
discharging his duty by force or rescue made after arrest, also that the owner
shall have power to sue the county in which such \iolence or rescue is made.
and the county might in turn sue the indi\'iduals who committed the wrong.
Other resolutions were passed advocating the maintenance of the Cnion l)y
conciliation, and if unsuccessful, then ])y coercion. Hie Border State resolu-
tions passed after a sjjirited debate, and the Crittenden Comiinnnise received
even harsher treatment from the Monroe county citizens, but finally got
through successfully. Dr. Foster's resolution pertaining to conciliation or
coercion was ignominiously rejected by a large majority. Tempestuous
orator v and fierce argument accompanied the discussion of the Foster resolu-
tion, and finalh- Dr. j. (i. AlcPheeters offered a resolution tendering tlie
Border States resolutions as a liasis of conciliation, l)ut on its rejection, to stand
bv the Union, the Constitution, and the enforcement of the laws. After mucli
opposition, particularly on the part of Messrs. Wolfe, Marlin, B. F. Williams
and na\id Sheeks. tlie resolution was adopted.
The meeting at which the abo\e transpired was one of the most nota1)le
in the early histoiy of the county, and was productive of a great deal of strong
sentiment. The general trend of the people was against coercion in the mat-
ter of keeping the Southern states in tlie Union, luit there seemed to be the
spirit that if conciliatory measures were not effective, the best thing to do
would be to tight, and to fight hard. The war "jingoes" were, howexer, much
in the minority. Among the prominent men who attended this meeting in
early February, i860, were Governor Dunning, Dr. W. C. Foster, Judge G.
A. Buskirk, S. H. Buskirk, C. P. Tuley. J. B. Alulky, Isaac Adkins. Isaac Cox.
Abraham Smith. M. C. Hunter, Benjamin Wolfe, F. T. Butler, Elias Abel,
Prof. John Young, P. L. D. Mitchell, Hugh Marlin. Johnson McCulloch, Dr.
f. G. McPheeters and David Sheeks.
334 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTJES, INDIANA.
Affairs in the county were disturbed during the rest of the year i860 by
different acts of Congress, presidential elections, and political fights common to
such a time of imminent strife. This continued until Monday, the 15th of
April, 1 86 1, when the startling news reached Monroe county that Fort Sumter
had been surrendered by Major Anderson to the Confederates. The tidings
spread rapidly through the county, and the citizens hurried together to counsel
with each other as to the course of action and the results of the first shot of the
war. Men were frightened and acted in a wildly excitable way, some even
preparing to flee to the Pacific coast or seek the Canadian line for safety. A
monster mass meeting was held at the court house on the night of the 15th, and
every citizen in the county who was able to come traveled to the common
rendezvous on horsel^ack. in wagons or on foot. It is a distressing fact that
no detailed account of that famous meeting was preserved to history, but when
the spirit of the night and the general high pressure of excitement is considered,
it is realized that formalities were out of place and details were forgotten. It
was a night of frenzied oratory, and personal argument over the big question.
Several of the more prominent men present took opposite sides on the method
best to use in subjugating the South, and as the meeting progressed, and the
atmosphere grew more tense, the exponents of armed measures won the upper
hand. Some men spoke feelingly of the brotherhood between men. and urged
conciliatory means : others urged the most stringent methods, and one man
spoke stronglv against the North, especially the Abolitionists, and declared
that they were the source of fratricidal war, and announced his intention to
fight on the side of the Confederate states. A list of resolutions expounding
the business of the meeting was prepared, and passed over the opposition that
was raised against it.
Some days later another meeting was held in the court house, and this
assemblage was characterized by even more patriotism. Plans were formulated
for the organization of a company of volunteers. By the 20th the enlistment
was completed, and two days later, on the 22nd, the officers were commis-
sioned. Drills began to be a daily feature, and the raw recruits were soon
whipped into shape for campaigning, and only awaited orders from the govern-
ment to be mustered into the three months, one year, or three years service.
May 10, 1861. marked the departure of this company for Camp Vigo, Terre
Haute, and the whole town gathered at the railroad station to bid farewell
to the boys. A Miss Mitchell presented the troop with a beautiful flag, and
her presentation speech was responded to, in original phrases, by Lieutenant
Black. The scene was a sorrowful one. Sweethearts, wives, mothers, sisters
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
335
and fathers watched their loved ones, pale-faced and silent, leave for the front,
some of them never to return.
Circumstances prevented the company from being mustered in im-
mediately upon their arrival at Terre Haute, and they accordingly entered a
camp of instruction. Under the restraint of having to wait, there was oppor-
tunity for dissatisfaction to spring up in the organization, and consequently
there became two factions, which formed the nuclei i for two separate com-
panies. One division remained at Terre Haute under Captain Kelley, and the
other portion was transferred to Indianapolis under the command of Capt. W.
S. Charles. In the latter part of May and first of June the officers went back to
Monroe county to enlist men in order to bring the complement of the two
companies up to the required number, in which task Captain Kelley was more
successful than his brother officer. Captain Charles. Kelley's soldiers became
Company K, of the Fourteenth Regiment, and were mustered into the three
years' service on June 7, 18O1. On the 5th of July the company was trans-
ported to Virginia soil, where the Army of the Potomac was beginning opera-
tions. Captain Charles' company was not exactly a full Monroe county or-
ganization, as a portion of the men were recruited from other localities. They
became Company H. of the Eighteenth Regiment, three years' service, mus-
tered in on August 16, 1861, and taken to St. Louis. Missouri. Milton L.
McCullough was first lieutenant of Company K, and Paul E. Slocum was sec-
ond lieutenant. James S. Black, of Indianapolis, was first lieutenant of Com-
pany H, and Hiram W. Rooker, second lieutenant.
June and July saw the raising of other companies. J. O. McCullough,
Daniel Lunderman, A. R. Ravenscroft and others succeeded in raising a full
company. James B. Mulky and J. S. Nntt also raised other organizations,
the latter a troop of cavalry. Peter Kop was instrumental in the enlistment
of a company. In the town of Bloomington, all was at a fever heat. The boy
in l>lue was the center of attraction ; the children of Bloomington played at the
soldier's game and ladies cast admiring eyes at the volunteers, but observed a
studied indifference toward the civilian. Sentiment and patriotism grew
stronger and stronger and everyone thought that the "rebels" would be com-
pletely trounced in a very few months. Had the long grim years of bloodshed
and hardship that were to come been evident at that time, it is hardly probable
that such a spirit of gaiety and hilarity would have graced the scene. It was,
however, an act of Providence that so deftly' covers our sorrow? with the
cloak of pleasure.
^^6 T..\\VRHNCF. AXl) JIONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The Blooiniiicjlon Republican of July 13, 1861, prints the following"
paragraphs ;
"Another company of volunteers fur the United States service left here
on Tuesday last for Aladison, Indiana, wliere the regiment is to be formed.
The company is under command of Capt. Daniel Lunderman, of this place,
who has had considerable experience as an officer in the recent war with
Mexico, and we have no doubt he will faithfully attend to the interests and
welfare of the company while they are under his charge. Dr. J. O. AIcCul-
lough was elected tirst lieutenant and Andrew K. Ravenscroft. second lieu-
tenant, who we have no doubt will be equally faithful to their trust. As
many of the volunteers were from the surrounding country, a large concourse
of people from different i)arts of the county were present, to see them take
their departure and to bid their friends farewell. The volunteers were escorted
to the train bv Captain Mulkvs company of infantry, and took their departure
amid a deafening salute of musketry. The Bloomington Cornet Band ac-
companied them to Madison. We learn that Camp Noble, to which they are
assigned, is beautifully situated at North Madison, which is on a high bluff'
overlooking the city of Madison and the Ohio river. * "^ *."
■■Rkcrliting. — Peter Kop and several other gentlemen of this place
are raising a company of grenadiers for the United States service. They
admit no recruits under five feet, ten inches, and equally stout and able-bodied.
We pity the rebel upon whose neck the foot of 'Big Pete" shall come down
with a vengeance. There w ill l)e no chance for him to even say his prayers
before his life is crushed out of him. Some of the others engaged in raising
the company are among our most athletic citizens. Their recruiting office,
we believe, is at Williams & Sluss' livery stables."
I'aplain Lunderman's cnni])any liecame Company 1. nf the Twenty-second
Regiment, and was mustered into service on August 15. 1861, at Camp Noble,
Madison. Nearly thirty of this trooj) were from Owen county and White
Hall, and they were under the command of Col. Jefferson C. Davis.
The Republican of September 14th, on the occasion of the departure of
the company for Camp Morton, published the following :
■'Off for the War. — Capt. L S. Dains' company left here for Camp
JNIorton, Indianapolis, on Thursday last. This company was raised mostly
in this and Owen counties, a number of them being from the \icinity of White
Hall. While the\- were waiting for the train at the depot, a beautiful flag was
presented to the ctMupanv from the ladies of W'hite Hall. Governor Dunning,
on behalf of the ladies, made a suitable address on the presentation of the flag.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INM)I\N\. 7,7^^
which was responded to by Captain Dains in a short address, and 1)\- three
cheers from the soldiers for their beautiful flag. This makes the seventh
compan}- which has l)een raised principally in this county, and left here for the
war. One or two other companies are now raising. .Monroe county will be
I'ully represented in the contest."
This newspaper editorial refers to the following companies : Company
K, Fourteenth Regiment, Capt. James R. Kelley ; Company H. Eighteenth
Regiment, Capt. \Villiam Stanle}- Charles ; Company I, Twenty-second Regi-
ment, Capt. Daniel Lunderman; Company F, Twenty-seventh Regiment,
Capt. Peter Kop; Company G, Thirty-first Regiment, Capt. Henry L. Mc-
Calla ; Company G, Thirty-eighth Regiment, Capt. James Secrest ; Company D.
I'^iftieth Regiment. Capt. Isaac S. Dains.
Captian Secrest's company was raised in the xicinity of Ellettsville in
August and September, by Captain Secrest and Lieutenants G. K. Perry and
James McCormick. The companies listed above were not the only ones in which
Monroe county men were enlisted : for the county had representatives in every
branch of the serxice and in most divisions of the Federal army. Accord-
ing to record, the only men from the county who enlisted in the three months'
service were from the northern part ()f the county, and were meml^ers of
the Twelfth Regiment. Chaplain H. B. Hibben. of Monroe, was in the
Eleventh Regiment, about ten men were enrolled in the Twenty-first Regi-
ment, which afterwards became the b'irst Heav\- Artillery: some men were
in the Twent\--third, and credited to Morgan county, and fi^ur members of
the regimental hand were credited to Bloomington. In summarizing the
total number of enrollments for these early months it may be said that by
the middle of September. i8hi. Monroe county had furnished at least six
whole companies ready for service.
Captian Nutt's cavalry company contained fifteen men from this county,
the rest being recruited from Brazil and Delphi. This troop left for Indian-
apolis in the middle of September, and organized as Company K. Second
Cavalry (Forty-first Regiment), and was mustered in on December 24,
1 86 1, and Jeptha M. Ellington, of Ellettsville, was chosen as captain.
The state authorities, in September, 1861. ordered that in each count\-
a thorough organization should be made of the militia. The Governor ap-
pointed James B. Mulky colonel of the Monroe county militia, and in this
manner ten companies were organized during the war, namely : The Hoos-
ier Grays, Capt. Morton C. Hunter, organized in the fall of 1861 : the Elletts-
ville Clippers. Capt. Barton Acuff. organized in the autumn of 1861 ; the
(2_A
338 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Monroe Zouaves, Capt. Daniel Shrader. organized in 1861 ; the Richland
Mountaineers, Capt. B. W. Rice, organized in the fall of 1861 ; the Hoosier
Guards, Capt. H. T. Campbell, organized earh- in 1862; the Harrodsburg
Guards, Capt. John M. Anderson, organized in the fall of 1861 ; the Richland
Rangers, Capt. John Wylie, organized during the summer of 1863; the
Hughes Guards, Capt. James Mathers, fall of 1863; the Monroe Guards,
Capt. Isaac S. Buskirk. fall of 1863; Bean Blossom Rangers, Capt. Thomas
M. Gaskin, fall of 1863.
Dr. J. G. McPheeters, surgeon of the Thirty-third Regiment, enlisted some
men while home on a furlough, and near the first of November Wallace Hight,
who had superintended the making of cannon at Seward's foundry at Bloom-
ington, left for Indianapolis with his piece of ordnance drawn by six horses.
The gun was a six-pounder, of brass, and an excellent instrument of war-
fare. Hight, with his gun and some friends, were assigned to the Ninth
Battery. In February, 1862, William McCullough began recruiting men for
the Fifty-third Regiment, and Lieut. Francis Otwell opened an enlistment
station at Fee"s store for the Twenty-seventh Regiment, which included the
company of Captain Kop. In November and December, 1861, and January
and February, 1862, Capt. Thomas T. Graves, Lieut. Alexander Jones and
John Phillips recruited two-thirds of a company for the Fifty-ninth Regiment,
which assembled at Gosport, in October, 1861, and in February traveled
south on the Xew Albany road to the scene of hostilities in Kentucky. The
Monroe county company, from near Harrodsburg mostly, was given the
letter I, of the Fifty-ninth, under Capt. Graves. The men were mustered into
service on February 11, 1862, and Jesse I. Alexander, of Gosport, was colonel
of the regiment. M. P. Burns recruited six or eight men for the Sixty-
hrst, which rendezvoused at Terre Haute. In April, Lieut. Johnson's com-
pany of the Twenty-second Regiment opened a recruiting office in Blooming-
ton. In May the men who were in Capt. Kelley's company sent nearly two
thousand dollars home to their friends and at this time also came the news
of Capt. Ke!le\ 's untimely death. At the battle of Winchester Capt. Kelley
suffered a wound from which he died, after lingering in a hospital at Cin-
cinnati for weeks, where he had gone, accompanied by his faithful wife, for
medical treatment.
Man\' letters came to the follrs at home from the boys in the field, and
these missi\es are nx-'-rFlow ing with jiatho'^ and vi\'id description of the cam-
paigns and army life. Each in itself was a treasure, and although many of
them were not of the best literary style, they carried a message to the ones
at home which could not be equaled by the words of a muse. Capt. flenry
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COLNTIES, IXDIAXA. 339
I-. McCalla wrote a letter to his brother, w hich has lieen preserved to history
and served as an admirable example of the letters of those days. Captain
McCalla says :
''Thirty-first Regiment Indiana Volunteers.
"Pittsburg, Tenn., April 8, 1862.
"Dear Brother— This is Tuesday, and I take this chance to tell you that
an awful battle has been fought, commencing on Sunday morning at 7:30
o'clock, A. M., lasting until night, and continued again on Monday. Grimes
and I are safe. The company behaved nobly. The Thirty-first will now get
its due meed of praise, I think, ^^'e lost Orderly Sergeant James F. Full-
bright and Rolley Franklin, both shot in the head, and seven wounded, three
of them severely — Joseph Lucas, in the hand slightly; Frank Johnson and
Jerry Serrell, in chin, slightly ;John Cambell. in the hand ; Joseph Woolery,
in the hip, severely; Wesley Polley, in the shoulder; Joseph Gaither, in the
face, the ball entering the bridge of the nose and coming out under the ear,
cutting the tip of the ear. Many more were grazed. I had a bullet through
the top of my Iiat. John McPhetridge had his leg grazed, and Grimes was
scratched in the knee. We will feel the loss of Fullbright. He was the
brave.st man in the regiment — so modest and so faithful. \\'e buried our
old companions with the lionnrs of war, and marked their graves with neat
head-boards.
"I met brother Sam on tlie Field of battle for the first time since he was
in the ser\ice. Thompson's liatterx , with which Flight and other Blooming-
ton bovs are connecterl. were in the fight all Monday. They fired 1,200
shots. Our regiment (lielongini; to llurlburt's lirigade ) fired forty rounds
in one place, repulsed two attacks on the center, (irimes and I furnished
our men with thirtv rounds nujre ;is they were lying down, and these were
all expended b^- night. The carnage is frightful. The field of battle covers
over six miles. Daniel Lseminger (formerly of Bloomington). captain in
an Iowa regiment, was killed. Our major, Frederic Arn. was killed; the
colonel was wounded in two places ; Adjutant Rose wounded ; Captain Harvey
killed; and other officers wounded, all of our regiment. Jo. Roddy bore
the colors througii all the two days fight, onward, never faltering, the fore-
most in the advance, the hindmost in the retreat.
"The day of the battle was my first out-door ser\-ice for three weeks,
having been sick over since we came to this place."'
"Henry."
340 l.WVRKXCF. Ai\I) MONROE COUNTIES, INIMANA.
July I, 1862, Aljraham Lincoln, President of the United States, issued
a call for three hundred thousand volunteers, and the quota for Indiana was
named as ele\en regiments. The Republican of Juh- 12th printed the fol-
lowing :
"More Troops Wanted — It will be seen by reference to an-
other ])art (if om- pajjer that eleven more regiments are to be raised in our
state in addition to those alreadv forming, one from each congressional
district. This in our district will be, on an average, about 125 men from
each count}'. We trust that old Monroe will promptly furnish her quota,
as she has dcme on all former calls. She has now nine companies in the
service, besides a number of persons scattered in companies made up
elsewhere — infantry, cavalry and artillery. Xow that harvest is past
and our young men more at leisure, v.e think that there will be no difficulty
in raising this Jidditional (p.iota of troops in Monroe county. The regiment
for this district will rendezx'ous at Madison, and we notice that in some of
the adjoining counties companies are alread\- forming to fill up the regi-
ment. Let not Monroe be behind."
.\t tlie l)cginning the people did not res]jond quite so lieartily as they had
done a \ear ])efore. The pajiers appealeil to the people, and the draft was
threatened if the demands of Lincoln were not fulfilled. The prominent
citizens of the county began to see the necessity for immediate action, and
accordingly commenced to bestir themselves and urge their brethren to sup-
port the cause of L'uion ; recruiting officers began to gather on the scene, and
it was not long before mass meetings were held, with the same intensity
of feeling and paU'iotism as in -he early day-^ of '61. In the latter part of
July Lieui I". Otwell was commissioned to recruit a comnau}- for the Sixty-
seventh Regiment and he opened an office in the town of Bloomington.
Ca])t. Charles, of tlie hjghleenth, also came liome to iTcruit, and Lieut. W.
j. Allen, of the d^xcntieth Batterw James L. Winrrex', of Bloonfington, was
commissioned to raise a compan\- for the Ninet\--third Regiment, assembled
at Madison. Lieutenant Otwell and other officers raised about twenty men,
who became Compan\- B, of the Sixty-seventh Regiment, Samuel Denny, of
Madison, being captain. An entire company was raised for the Eighty-second
Regiment by ^Morton I. Hunter, and he became the colonel, by Paul E.
Slocum, Alfred G. LIunter, Samuel McWillie, John McKinney, Samuel Guy
and others. The company was designated as F, and McWillie became captain,
McKinney, first lieutenant, and Guy. second lieutenant. The men were mus-
tered in on August 30th at Madison. Part of Company T, of the Eighty-
second, was organized in Monroe countv bv William F. Neill, who became
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COI'NTIKS. l.\l>l\\\. 34 I
captain, and by Lieut. H. E. Lundy. Historical records pr(i\e that there were
more regimental officers from .Monroe county in the I^'ighty-second than in
any other regiment. Among them were : Colonel Hunter. Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Slocum, Adjutants A. G. Hunter and M. E. Bunger, ( juartermaster j. C.
Allenworth, Chaplain M. W. Canipl)ell. .Surgeon W. H. Lemon. Assistant
Surgeons W. B. Harris and R. H. Campl)ell. On the first of Septemher the
regiment was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky. Thirty men of Company
F, Ninety-third Regiment, were reciuited bv J- L. ^\'infre^■, and were mus-
tered in at Madison from the 15th to the 23d of August. 1862. These re-
cruitments constitute a nohle and lasting record for the county of Monroe,
and to her credit it nuisl lie said that through her patri(.)tic response the humil-
iation of the draft was kept from within the borders of the county.
The Republican of September 13. 1862. gives tables of figures showing
the exact condition of the count}': The total number subject to draft was
1.824 nien. (^xemjjtioris 3C)fj, number oi \'olunteei's 104. nnd number enrolled
1,524. The api:)!icati()ns for exemjition from draft in Bean Blossom town-
ship were _|0, Washington 30, Marion 10, Benton 30, Bloomington no,
Richland 45, \'an liuren 38, Perry yj. Salt Creek 40, Polk 42, Clear Creek
38. and Indian Creek 2S. Thus it will be seen that of 499 applications
for exemption in Monroe countw onh' 300 were acce])table to the authori-
ties.
On the 6th of September. 1862. Hon. Joseph A. Wright. ex-go\ernor
of Indiana, made an eloquent address before the citizens of the ctiuntw and
on the following Monday, the 8th, the Hon. Josejih E. McDonald deli\-ered a
magnificent oration pleading for a cessation of hostilities.
October 6, 1862. was the final date set for the draft to be enforced in
Indiana, although Sei)tember 13111 had been the original date. The necessity
of postponing the date was m order to give every countv an opportunity to
bring its enlistments to the required nun.iber. The draft commissioner was
Tra Browning, the marshal, W. J. .\lexander. and the surgeon, J. D. Max-
well, for Monroe county. On the 19th of September the enrolling commis-
sioners reported the following to the adjutant-general regarding Monroe
county: Total mib'tia. 1.828; total volunteers, i .039 ; total exempts. 298:
total conscientiously opposed to bearing arms. 3: total \-olunteer>~ in the
service. 840: total subject to draft. 1.527. On the loth of Sejitember the
countv lacked twent\-tw() men (_)f ha\ing filled her (juota. as follows: Benton
I. Salt Creek 4, Polk \2. Clear Creek 3, Indian Creek 2. This number was
reduced to one man by the 6th of October, this deficienc\ Iieing in Salt Creek
township. Consequently a man was drafted there, but immediately after-
342 LAWRENCE AND ilONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
wards a volunteer was reported from that township and accepted, thus clear-
ing the county of Monroe from the draft.
Capt. Daniel Shrader, remembered for his work in raising Company A,
Fiftv-fourth Regiment, for the special three months' ser\dce of 1862, was
commissioned to organize another company for the same regiment, reor-
ganized for the one year's service. Accordingly he maintained a recruit-
ing office in Bloomington. In this capacity he continued but a short time,
on account of being appointed major of the Fifty-fourth Regiment. A flurry
of excitement was caused on the 23rd of September when the news flash-
ed in that Bragg's forces were approaching Louisville with the intention of
destroying the city. All of southern Indiana, including Monroe county,
was in a tremor, heightened by a dispatch from Governor Morton, who was
then at Louisville, to organize the militia immediately and to hold the men in
readiness to depart for the front at a moment's notice. A hasty meeting
was held at the county court house and Judge Hughes explained the charac-
ter of the situation. The meeting adjourned until evening and during the
interval a full company of volunteers was raised, and at the evening meet-
ing the following ofBcers were elected; Francis Otwell, captain; Henry EUer,
first lieutenant; W. H. McCullough, second lieutenant. The next morning
witnessed the arming of the company, and other preparations to march south-
ward. HowcA'er, it was learned that Bragg would not touch Louisville, and
acctjrdingly the company was disbanded.
With tlie coming of winter the active interest in enlistments subsided
in a measure. The citizens watched with anxious hearts every bit of news
from the armies! The Republican heroically printed every line in its columns
which would carry a message to Monroe county people. Letters came thick
and fast, describing the events happening in the field.
On January 24, 1863. there was held a meeting at the county court house,
which was the opposite of the meetings hitherto held. The meeting was for the
purpose of upholding the cause of the South and slavery and ridiculing Lin-
coln and the North. There was a large attendance, and Judge Eckles, of
Greencastle, Indiana, was the principal speaker. He delivered an enthu-
siastic oration and opposed the continuance of the war, denounced the ad-
ministration of Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party, declared that the
South was justified in their fight for slayery, and insisted that not another
man nor dollar be furnished for the maintenance of the struggle. A body
of resolutions was adopted in this ^ein of thought, and the crowd cheered
for Jeff Davis and cursed Lmcoln. The State Sentinel printed editorials
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 343
in favor of the meeting. The day was of hot debate and quarrels, and
several bloody fights occurred.
A month later another court house meeting was held and was decidedly
Union in spirit. Captian Epps, of eastern Tennessee, and Colonel Hawkins
were the principal speakers. Jacob B. Lowe and Major James B. Mulky
were respectively chairman and secretary. Resolutions were passed con-
demning the Southern partisanship in the county, the efforts to frustrate the
Federal cause, and the alliances with France and other foreign nations.
Thanks were extended to Governor Morton for his aid in equipping and
organizing troops of Indiana. Propositions for an armistice or compromise
other than offered by the national go\ernment were denounced, and an oath
was taken that efforts should be continued to crush out every atom
of rebellion in the United States. This meeting had a most happy effect on
the count\'. The old time s])irit of patriotism was revived, and during that
most hoi)eless }ear of the war, 1863, when the L'nion seemd to be tottering,
great encouragement was lent to the loyal citizens of Monroe county. A week
after this assembling, another mass meeting was held, with General Kim-
ball, J. A. ^Tatson, Colonel McCrea, Revs. Plopkins, b'armer and Idearb as
the chief speakers. Although some of the speakers were Democrats, all
urged the continuance of the war.
During the spring months of 1863, very little attempt wds made to raise
troops. It was a peri(jd of waiting and doubt as to which side the weight of
victory would fall. (In A])ri] i8th the Republican printed an editorial which
is both interesting and curious. It was as follows :
"We learn that our old friend, A. Sutherland, sutler to the Fiftv-ninth
Regiment, was fined ten dollars and costs in the common pleas court the other
day for bringing to this county and harboring a contraband picked up some-
where in the South, and who accompanied him home on a visit some weeks
since. Good enough for you, Aleck. We have niggers enough here now and
we hope all who violate the laws by bringing them into the state will he com-
pelled to pay the penalty."
In April, 1863. word came of the uprising near Georgetown, Brown
county, and immediately meetings were held and preparations made by the
citizens of Monroe county to prevent any similar act of treason within the
borders of their own county. A militia company was organized to quell any
such outbreak, and Francis A. Otwell was elected captain. The citizens of
Van Buren township met at schtOTlhouse No. 3, and also organized a companv
of militia, John Koons l)eing chairman of the meeting and W. M. Crossfield,
secretary. The enrolling lioarfl of the third congressional district, composed
344
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of Simeon Stansifer, provost marshal, John R. B. Glasscock, commissioner,
and Albert G. Collier, surgeon, began to enumerate the men in the various
townships who were liable for military duty. James B. Mulky succeeded
Stansifer as provost marshal in April, 1863, and in June Col. John McCrea
was appointed to the position of provost marshal of Monroe county. The
work of the enrolling dflicers was by no means an easy one. for in some parts
of thf count \- forcilile ()])p()sitiMn was made to their efforts. On the 19th of
lune W. \'. Hensley. enrolling officer of Indian Creek township, was sur-
rounded by an armed force of about eighty men while discharging his duties,
who compelled him to surrender his enrolling papers under threat of death.
Not to be thwarted b\- their threats, Mr. Hensley informed the authorities at
Bloomington of the occurrence, and a guard was given him to protect him from
the attack of his former assailants. Colonel Biddle, with six hundred men
of the Seventy-first, and a comi)any of the Third Cavalr>-, came to P)loomington
and encami)ed north of town. Colonel McCrea and the cavalry troo]) went
to Indian Creek townshi]). and arrested sixteen persons for cf)m])licit}- in the
outrage against Henslew The culprits were taken to Indianapolis to a])i)ear
before the United States district court. This ended the hostility in the county
toward llie enrolling officers. 1lie check was reinforced by the arri\al of a
• letachment of the Twenty-third Artillery, with two twelve-pounders at
lUoomington. The "Butternuts'" were forced to cease the drills and pre])ara-
tiiiu> tbe\- bad been making in different parts of the cnuntw
.\!onda^•, the 22nfl of June, dawned, and the towns])eople were aroused
l)v tlie violent ringing of bells and the hurrying footsteps of the citizens ru.sh-
ing toward the center of town. The reports were that the rebel. General
Morgan, with his "raiders," had crossed the line between Kentucky and Indi-
,-ina, anil was coming toward Paoli, Orange count)-. .\ compau)- of men was
bastib, Tornied anrl ])laced under the command of Capt. T. S. Buskirk. and
their ser\ices offered to the Governor by telegraph. .\t nightfall it was learned
that the rumor was unfounded, and accordingly the company was di.sbanded.
President IJncoln called for one hundred thousand \-olunteers. six
months" ser\ice. on the 1 ^ih of June, and immediate steps were taken to raise
the reijuired numl)er of troojjs. An office for enlistments was opened over
I'ee's store, wdiere recruiting ofbces had been located before. W. B. Tfughes,
J. Uulledge, W. C. Smith. Michael Gabbert. H. C. Gabbert and J. II. Miller
were especiallv active in the organization of the new company, and b\- the 3rst
of jnh- there were about se\-enty-five men enrolled; at this date they were
taken to Indianapolis to report to the state officials. ?>}• the T5th of .\ugust
tlKw bad recruited from Monroe countv the number of men a.sked. and they
LAWRENCK AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 345
were mustered into the service and sent to Kentucky. Thev were called Com-
pany I, of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, six months' men, and
were assigned the following officers: William B. Hughes, captain; Jechonias
Rutledge, first lieutenant, and James H. Miller, second lieutenant.
riie scare of (jeneral Morgan's journey toward Indiana again hecame
existent. The information received gave the situation a black look to be sure,
and it is not surprising thai the people were agitated and unable to attend to
the common affairs of business. They became euHamed, hysterical and
desperate, and imagined all sorts of ravages which the rebel leader would com-
mit against their fair county when once he gained a foothold therein. The
company commanded by Ca])tain Buskirk was again mustered, and on Julv
Qth left for Mitchell, Indiana. (.■a])taiu W'ylie took a troop of cavalry to the
same town, and ('apt. Marion I'lair left for Indianapolis with a com])anv of
militia. Ellettsville contributed a compau}- at the same time. Two additional
com])anies were raised in Bloomington and vicinitv.
The streets of the cit\ and towns were at fe\'er heat, and crowds of
anxious citi.zens were on every corner. .\s suddenly as it had a])peared, so
(|uickl\' did the excitement die. In ten days all fears were dispelled. Marion
[fair's compan\ was mustered (nit on the i5tb of July, after just h\e days of
ser\ice. Barton .VcuiT's com])any, from F.llettsxille, also suffered the same
fate. P)lair's conipan\' was D of the One flundred and Tenth Regiment;
Acuff's was (t of the One Hundred and Eleventh. L'ajjtain Hughes' company
was transferred to Mitchell, Indiana, and ])ecame A of the One Hundred and
Twelfth, minutemen; the compan\- was mustered in July Qth, and mustered
out luh' 17th. Their actual field ser\-ice consisted in slight skirnu'sh work
against Morgan, who a]>i)roacbe(l within a few miles of North X'ernon. The
major of this regiment was I. .^, Buskirk. The One Hundred and Thirteenth
Regiment included one company from Monroe county, and this w-as com-
manded hv Capt. Henry I.. McCalla. This was Company A. mustered in
Julv I ith, and out on Jul\' Kith. Capt. J. K. Mathers also organized a com-
pany of militia ca\alr\-, and auotber com|)anv was commanded by Capt. DaA'id
Sheeks.
In October. iHf).^. Lincoln called for three hundred thousand \ olunteers.
for the three years" service, and the quota for Monroe county was fixed at one
hundred and forty-three. Colonel McCrea, Captain Buskirk and Henry Eller
were commissioned to raise recruits. .-\t first there was not much interest
shown, but after the big meeting held at the court house on November 28th. a
large uumlier enlisted, and were sent to Columbus to a camp of instruction.
On January 14, 1864, the men were mustered into seryice at Camp Shanks,
34*^ LAWKKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
near Indianapolis, and were augmented afterward by new recruits from the
county.
In April, 18O4. there was a call for r)ne hundred days' men, and on the
e^'ening of April 27th a mass meeting was held at the court house for the pur-
pose of raising a company of volunteers. Governor Dunning was the speaker.
Some dozen names were secured, and resolutions were passed asking the
county commissioners to offer a bounty of thirty dollars for volunteers. By
Alay 3d the company was completed, about two-thirds of the roster from
jMonroe county, and they were named Company K, of the One Hundred and
Thirt}--third Regiment, one hundred days' service. They were mustered in
at Indianapolis on the 17th of May, and departed immediately for Tennessee.
On July 1 8th there came a call from President Lincoln for five hundred
thousand men. So great was the surprise following this unexpected call, that
the people were unable to do anything toward the fulfillment. As the time
passed there was a decided indifference to the call for troops. The draft was
threatened by the authorities, but the people paid no attention. A few scatter-
ing enlistments were secured : Bean Blossom raised five men, Benton, one,
\'an Buren, three, but the other townships who had to furnish men failed to
secure even one. Consecjuently, on the 23d of September the draft was put
into effect at Columbus, and the following was the result : Bean Blossom, 37 ;
Washington, 25 ; Marion, 14: Benton, 9; Van Buren. 6; Salt Creek, 19: Polk,
17; Indian Creek, t,2 : total, 159. These figures represent about half of the
actual draft, but in taking- such a large number allowance was made for those
unfit for service. \'olunteering gained an impetus after the draft, and numer-
ous were the substitutes furnished by those who could not go to war. The
drafted men were taken to Columbus and then to Indianapolis, where they
were assigned to regiments, preferably the older ones.
The last' call for volunteers from Abraham Lincoln occurred on Decem-
ber 19, 1864, and the request was for three hundred thousand men, for one,
two and three years. Every inducement was offered for volunteers, and
the county paper oft'ered bounty for recruits and called for the assistance of
everyone to fill up the re(|uired quota. In the luiddle of January, 1865, the
deputy provost marshal, Ira Browning, held meetings in each township to cor-
rect the enrollment lists. Capt. S. W. Bonsall opened an enlistment office for
\eteran recruits for the First Veteran Army Corps, and offered government
bounties of four hundred dollars, five hundred dollars and six hundred dollars,
for one, two and three \-ears. lender the county, township and government
bounties volunteers began to appear, the county board appropriated five hun-
dred dollars for each volunteer. The men took an added interest in the mat-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 347
ter of enlisting, as it was known that the Southern army was fast nearing de-
feat. Major James B. Mulky was chosen recruiting officer for the third dis-
trict, with his headquarters at Columbus. He called for a company from
Monroe county, whose quota was then one hundred and sixty-one men. Lieut.
N. E. Mathers, Lieut. J. F. Douglas, John T. Eller, James H. Miller, Ren C.
Smith and others also began putting forth their efforts to recruit men. In a
short time nearly a whole company was raised, the remainder being added
from Brown county, and they became Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-
fifth Regiment, with the following officers : John F. Douglas, captain ; [ames
H. Miller, first lieutenant ; Ren C. Smith, second lieutenant. They were mus-
tered in at Indianapolis on the 4th and 5th of February, 1864, and on the i8th
left for Nashville, Tennessee. Nearly one-half of Company I, same regi-
ment, was raised in Monroe county after the departure of Company E. They
were mustered in on February 3d, 4th, 6th and 9th, and were commanded by
these officers: John P. Cravens (of Madison), captain; Newton E. Mathers
(of Bloomington), first lieutenant; AVilliam M. Crossfield (of Smithville),
second lieutenant.
A second draft took place in the countv in the latter part of March.
Polk and Salt Creek townships were the only townships \isited, and only
four or fi\'e men were drafted.
In summarizing tlie numlier of troops furnished b\- .Monroe county to
the four years' struggle it is e\i(lent that the countv furnished her share of the
men enlisted, and in everv way aided the cause of the I'nion. The grand
total of two thousand one hundred and twenty-eight men, o\er two regiments,
was enough to exhaust the resources of the whole county, considering that the
total enrollment in 1861 was one thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven
men. This enumeration does not include the four c<impanies which were
mustered in for the Morgan camiiaign. These minutemen numbered about
four hundred.
There is no denying of the fact that during the days of the war, especially
in the earlier part, there was a great deal of Southern sentiment in Monroe
county. Many of the citizens were from families south of the ]\Iason and
Dixon line, and naturally the\- were in sympathy with the Confederate cause
and slavery.
In 1861, when, one b\- one, the states were seceding, and when news came
that Fort Sumter had been fired ujxjn by the Confederate batteries in Charles-
ton harbor, there were many prominent citizens of Monroe county who pro-
fessed their pleasure oyer the occurrence and expressed hearty sympathy with
catcs,
and
ni some ]
treat n
lent.
Certain
ade(|u;
ate e
xplanatioi
nf tlic
wai'
, and con
where
tlie
two facti
ur.yed
men
not to en
desert
frc/i
n tlie ran
from
arre-
;t. The •
348 LWVRENCF. AND MONROE COUNTIKS. INDI XNA.
the canse of the South. As the year passed the feeling between the two fac-
tions in the county became decidedly bitter, and many fights occurred, some
of them of a serious nature. .\ rebel sympathizer who was too loud in his
denunciation of the I'nion was felled b}- a cane-blow, and another who voiced
his lovaltv to Teff Davis and reviled the Federal soldiers was compelled to
lea\e town on short notice to escape the lynching threatened bv the angry
citizens.
i'ortions 01' the count}' were ruleil by a majority of the Southern advo-
places a man wIkt upheld the North was accorded severe
localities were nametl "Secessia," the name furnishing
n for the cause. The \'ear of 1863 was the most doubtful
ise(|uently the i)eriod of greatest strife in Monroe county,
ions were in existence, in this year the rebel adherents
ilist. and e\en sent letters into the field asking the boys to
iks. promising at the same time immunity and protection
"secesli"" element e\en conducted open meetings, and had
liodies of men in training for militar\' service. Public meetings at the county
court house were lield, but in e\ery case a counter meeting of loyal Unionists
was held afterward, and as a further means of encouraging fidelit}- to the
L'nion cause, there was organized the National Lbiion .\ssociation of Monroe
and r.rown counties. l)a\id 1). firitfin was elected ])resident of this associa-
tion, and John ('. Ileadh', secretarx'.
.\ trainload of (.'on federate ]lrisoner^^ passed through Bloomington one
nigiil on the wa\- North. Southern svmpathizers boarded the train and
endea\(>red to persuade the prisoners to make a concerted break for liberty,
and tliey were assured that food and shelter would be theirs if the_\- would
consent to make the nio\e. Howe\'er. the rel)el prisoners refused to break
boun.ls.
In the early da\s of July. 1X03, e\ents so tran>i)ired that the Southerners
of .Monroe county were lio]>elessl\- reduced to a minority. ( iettysburg had
been fought, the battle coxering three days of gruelling, bloody and decisive
action, and Meatle had been \ictorious o\-er Robert R. Lee. Since the years
have ]ierniitted retrosi)ection and careful analysis, it has been determined that
the fate of the .Southern cau^e was cast in the l)alance of that engagement, and
there the ho])es of the Southland died. In point nf losses and number of men
engaged, ( iett\sburg is ri\alled bv Chickamauga, Shiloh and Cbancellorsville.
but in importance it was preeminent; it was the hinge of the four years' com-
l>at, Imniediateh' followin"- the \-ictnrv of the .\rmv i)f the Potomac news
LA\VRE.\"CE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 349
came that V'icksburg had surrendered to General (iranl. These two i^reat
triumphs aroused the people throughout the count}- to a frenz\- of ju}-, and
everywhere enormous celebrations were planned and executed. Crowds ui
people assembled in Bloomington. Ijonhres were kindled, gun> and rockets
were brought out. and all the ])r(jniinent men were called ujxni to make
speeches. G. -\. Buskirk hred the crowd with his glowing plu-ase^, and V. T.
Butler drew cheers and applause from his hearers. 1 Ic scored the traitors t(_)
the Union with the shar])est in\ecti\e and most stinging taunts, and his
cleverly worded thrusts were recei\-ed with si)ontaneous acclamation and rolls
of cheering. Colonel Charles, scarceK' strong enough to remain on his feet,
was given new strength b\- the spirit of the night and made a brilliaiU speech.
The news that Atlanta had been captured reached Monroe county on the
evening of September 3, 1864, and immediately there was a joyous celeliration,
as on the night of July 4th. judge Buskirk and Doctor Saliin and others
made speeches, and the whole exening was passed in demonstration. On
Septemljer iith Sinij^son's Cha|)el, near W'aypc^rt, was the scene of an incident
over the wearing of liutternut breast])ins. Two or three Federal soldiers at
home on a furlough dangerously wounded se\'eral peo]j!e.
On the _Mst of September news arrixed of I'hil Slieridan's \ iclory at
Opequon Creek. Virginia, near Winchester, and again the usual demonstra-
tion was repeated. B\- now the people were sure that the reliellion was near
the close. The people of the county asseiul^led in Bloouiington on ()ctol)er
8. 1864, for a soldiers" picnic. Ti-actically the entire county gathered and
various deiuonstrations were gi\en. including a parade. (_)uite a few of the
soldiers were home, either on furloughs or the sick list. I'olnnel B-urgess, of
Indianapolis, and Judge Hughes made the principal addresses of the da\-. An
immen.se dinner was spread on imjjrovised tables m tlie court yard, and several
thousand persons part(jok of the feast. There were toasts, songs and instru-
mental music. The Rcl^uhlicau noted that "It was the most general turn out
of the citizens of the county that we haxe ex'er witnessed here." The only
incident which marred the happinos of the day was the shooting of a deserter
named Sherrill wdiile he was trying to escape from cust(jdy tliat night at the
Orchard tlouse. (governor .\ndrew Johnson, of Tennessee, came to I'loom-
ington the following Monday and addressed the citizens.
Finally, there came the day. Tuesday. April 4. 1805. when the tidings
flashed into }*Ionroe county that Lee's Army of Xorthern X'irginia had been
crushed by Grant's Army of the Potomac, and that the city of Richmond,
\''iro-inia. was Iieing evacuated. The joy of Alonroeites reached the climax
35© LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
that night. Torchlight parades, band and vocal music, games, musket vol-
ley's, bonfires, and speeches by Governor Dunning, Judge Butler and Reverend
Bain filled the hours of the evening. Friday evening the news of Lee's sur-
render at Appomattox Court House was received, and the demonstration was
renewed with increased volume. Old and young mingled on the streets,
delirious \vith joy over the success of the North and preservation of the Union.
A week later the happiness of the people was changed to the deepest sor-
row and poignant grief. The word came that President Lincoln had been
assassinated at Ford's theater in Washington, while he was witnessing a per-
formance of "Our American Cousin." The people refused to believe the ter-
rible message, and waited anxiously and silently for a confirmation. On the
I sth verification was received, and the whole country went into mourning for
the martyred President. The afifairs of business were forgotten and pleasures
dismissed. Tn Monroe county the cost of victory seemed to be out of all
bounds of Providence. The man who had led the Northern cause had been
stricken down bv a cowardly hand, a hand with the Confederacy behind it.
Dwellings and public buildings were draped with black, and on Sunday
memorial services were held in the churches. On the 17th, Monday, a large
number of citizens gathered at the court house to pay fitting tribute to the
memory of Lincoln and to pass resolutions of liereaxement. Re\-. William
Turner was chairman and John H. Louden, secretary : Dr. F. H. Sabin. Gov.
P. C. Dunning. Rev. T. M. Hopkins, William F. Browning and Rev. S. T.
Gillett w ere ajjpointed to prepare resolutions, which they did in very touching
phrases and appropriate words. Doctor Nutt, president of the State L'ni-
A'ersitv. spnke l^rieflv of Lincoln. Fulogies were delivered by Governor Dunn-
ing, Major Mulkv and Samuel H. Buskirk. On Wednesday, the next day,
under the recommendation of the Governor of the state, all business was sus-
pended. ser\-iccs were held in the churches, bells were tolled, and the buildings
drai)ed in mourning. The college chapel was the scene of a large memorial
meeting in the afternoon, conducted by the citizens, including the Masonic
order and Odd I'ellows in full uniform.
Tile return of the soldiers and the other incidents of the last days of the
rebellion gradually softened the bitterness and distress of Lincoln's death,
and the people prepared to welcome back liome those who had fought for
their country. Jeff Davis was captured while trying to escape disguised as a
woman, and the Republican spoke tlnisly : "Hang him like Haman between
hea\en and earth, as being fit for neither." President Andrew Johnson's ap-
pointed dav for the observance of Lincoln's death wa"^ Thursday, June ist,
and tlic da\- was accordingly oIiser\-ed in ^Monroe count}'.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 35 1
The 4th of July, 1865, was the occasion of an exceUent dinner and
reception to the soldiers who had returned to their home county. Carriages
and wagons brought the cou.ntry people into town, through the dust and
heat of sultry summer day. General Jacob B. Lowe was president of the
day; Major Mulky, assisted by Colonel McCrea and Captain Cookerly, was
marshal. At ten o'clock in the morning a procession was formed down
town near the public square, and a march to the college campus was begun,
and there the programme of the day was carried out.
One of the things for which Monroe county has won lasting honor
and merit in the pages of history is the heroic and untiring efforts of the
people at home to relieve the suffering and hardships of the men in the
field. Every need was satisfied to the extent of their ability, and not a call
for help was unheeded. The courageous people sacrificed their own pleas-
ures and necessities in order that their friends and relatives might be com-
fortable, as much so as conditions would permit. Relief work was a regu-
lar occupation, and an universal one, and not a little of the success of the
Northern army can be attributed to this effort.
During the first months of the war nothing had been done in relief
work except the forwarding of blankets, towels and clothing to the men
who were yet in camp. Later, as the winter months were near. Governor
Morton advised all of the counties in the state to organize relief commit-
tees and establish a regular system whereby food and supplies might be
sent to the armies in the field. The women of Bloomington met at Dunn's
hall on C)ctober 14, 1861, to form some kind of society for relief work.
Mrs. Meginniss was chosen as president of the new organization. Louise
Wylie, secretary, and Mrs. Robert C. Foster, treasurer. Mrs. Dr. Dodds,
Mrs. David Batterton, Mrs. \A'. O. Fee. Mrs. Paul Slocum, Mrs. Leonard,
Mrs. Hibben, Mrs. Jacob Young, Mrs. James Gordon, Mrs. Press Harbi-
son, Mrs. James Small. Mrs. Sweringen and Miss Fullerton, directors. On
the next Tuesday the society met, bringing with them supplies of food and
clothing and contributions of mone\-, which was to be sent to the field and
hospital. Supplies were shipped to the companies of Captain Kelley, Cap-
tain Lunderman, Captain Charles and Captain McCalla. The value of the
stores shipped at this time was close to three Imndred dollars. Lieut. M.
L. McCullough was dispatched with a large quantity of supplies early in
November for the sick and wounded among the Monroe county boys. In
December a box of hospital stores was sent to the company of Captain Dains
and another to Doctor McPheeters for tlie sick of the Thirtv-third Regi-
3^2 I-A\VREXCr .XND MONROE COrXTIES. IXDIANA.
ment. These supplies were a .godsend to the troops, for their means oi
combating disease and hardship was not adequate in any waw Letters
were written back home, and printed in the Rcpuhlicait. describing the suf-
fering and want of sufficient food, and it fired the people to doulile their
efi'orts in I)ehalf of the l^oys.
During the entire war the county contributed $157,475 to the noble
work of relie\ing the suffering, both at home and in the field. It is in-
deed a record cf which to be proud, and shall live on the pages of Monroe
countA' history as an imperishable monument to her heroic effort during
those dark days of the Rebellion.
The roll of honor is perhaps one of the most notable features of a
nulitar\- history. The names of those who died in ser\ice should l}e pre-
served for all time, and in a conspicuous place so that future generations
niav read and learn of their forefathers who fought and died in order that
the countr\- might remain in ["nion. The roll of honor of Monroe county
is as follows :
FO U RT E K -\ T H R EGI M EN T .
Capt. James R. Kelley. died AJay 8, 1862, of wounds received at Win-
chester: Sergeant John C\ Cox, died at Hutton\ille, X'irginia, on Xo\ember
3, 1S61 ; Jesse A. Steele, killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862; Alexander
S. Retan, died .April 14, 1862, of wounds receixed at Winchester: Ceorge
i\[clver\-. (lied Xo\ember, 1862, of wounds recei\ed at .\ntietam: Thomas W.
Carlow, killed at .\ntietam, September, 18O2; Andrew M. Aiihur, killed by
accident. Septemljer, 1861: Elijah Barrett, died April, i8fi2, i>i wounds re-
ceived at Winchester: Lewis Crump, died April. j8fi2, of wounds received at
Winchester: James Degan, died November, 1862: Edward Duncan, died
December, 1861 : Andrew Harsh, killed at Antietam, September. 1862 : Richard
Houston, killed at .\ntietam. September, 1862: James AL Hughes, killed in the
Wilderness, May, 1864: Joseph M. McCalla, died in August, 1861: Joseph
McDonald, \eteran, killed in affray near Ste\-ensburg, Virginia : William
Miller, died April, 1862, of \voiuids received at \\'inchester : James H. Raper,
died May, 1864, of wounds recei\ed at Spottsylvania ; John Raper, died May,
1861 ; Stacey E. Smith, killed at Antietam, September, 1862; William H.
Smith, died June. 1864. of wounds received at Spott.syh-ania : E. AI. Wagoner,
killed at Cold fL'irbor: W. S. Thomas, killed at Cold Harbor: W. A. Steire.
die<l in hospital: Ceorge W. Kellev. died of wounds recei\-ed at Antietam.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 353
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT.
Lieut.-Col. William Stanley Charles, died of wounds, November lo,
1864; Sergeant Samuel W. Dodds, died at St. Louis, Mo., November, 1861;
Charles H. Spencer, diediat Helena, Ark., September, 1862; Sylvester Barnett,
died at Cassville, Mo., April, 1862; James Fox, killed by guerrillas, Syracuse^
Mo., December. 1861 ; William Martin, died at Cass\ ille, Mo., 1862; John E.
Martin, died at Cassville, Mo., March, 1862: Michael Odenwald, died at St.
Louis, November, 1 861 ; Thomas St. Clair, died at St. Louis, November, 1862;
Alvin Walker, died at St. Louis, November, 1861 ; Arthur Walker, died at
Otterville, December, 1861 ; Richard D. Wylie, died at Otterville, :Mo., Octo-
ber, 186 1 ; John Carter, died at Warren, Mo.; John T. West, died at New
Albany.
TWENTV-SECOND REGIMENT.
Lieut. Lewis W. Daily, died of wounds received at Cassville, Mo.; Sergt.
Benjamin T. Gardner, dietl December, 1863, of wounds received in action;
William B. Miller, died December, 1863, of wounds received in action; Verd-
man Johnson, died April, 1802, of wounds received in action; Edward Gra-
ham, died at St. Louis, Mo., October, 1861 ; Hezekiah Brown, died August,
1861 ; Copernicus H. Coffey, veteran, died June, 1864, of wounds; Christopher
C. Coffey, died at Farmington. Miss., July, 1862; William H. Cooper, died at
Otterville, Mo., 1861 ; James M. Coft'ey, died at Syracuse. Mo., December,.
1861 ; Henry L. Duncan, died at Harrodsburg, Ind., April, 1862; Joseph:
Elkins, died at Harro(lsl)urg, Ind., April. 1862; Charles i\L GoIdcu, died at St.
1-ouis, May, 1862; William G. Jennings, died at Lynn Creek, Mo., February,
1862; Fleming Johnson, died at lA-ansville, Ind., July, 1862; James H. Pettus,
killed at Perryville, Ky., October, J862; Joseph S. Ta3dor. killed at Perry-
ville, Kv., October, 1862; William Warman, died, August, 1862; William H.
Williams, died July. 1863; Elijah Lyons, killed at Rome, Ga., May, 1864;
Joseph M. Mavfield died September, 1864, of wounds received at Jonesboro ;
W. G. Jennings, died at Trynne Creek, Mo.
THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT.
Sergt. James B. Fullbright, killed at Shiloh. April, 1862; Miller ^I. Sut-
phin, died at Calhoun, Ky., February, 1862; John Baxter, died near Elkton,
Ala., Julv, 1862; Benjamin F. Taylor, died at Calhoun, Ky., December, 1861 ;
(23)
354 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
James M. Eller, died at New Albany, July. 1862; Roily Franklin, killed at
Shiloh, April, 1862; Robert A. Harbison, died at Calhoun, Ky.. December,
1861 ; James V. Livingston, veteran, killed at Kenesaw, June, 1864; James J.
Livingston, died at New All^any. May, 1862; Willis L. Mathers, died at Cal-
houn, Ky., December, 1861 ; Jacob Medows, killed at Stone River, December,
1862; FLHsha Robertson, died at Evansville, July, 1862: William H. Shafer,
died at Corinth, Aia_\-, 1862: Thomas Tull. died at Corinth, May, 1862; Benja-
min H. Whisenand, died at Calhoun, Ky., February. 1862: Jacob Wright,
died at P.owling (ireeu, K\-., November, 1862; Samuel E. Wylie. died at Cal-
hcnm, Ky. l'"eliruary, 1862; William S. Butcher, died at Nashville, Tenn. ;
.\braham Moytl, died at Madison, Ind.. April. 1865: William H. Fox, died
at Indiaua]K)lis, March, i8f)4; Bedford Ha\ions, died at .\tlanta, (ja.. Alvin
Howard, killed at Nashville. December. 1864; John Keith, died May, 1864, of
wounds recei\ed at Resaca : Alexander Lucas, died at Atlanta, August, 1864;
Lewis W, .Shields, died at Indianapolis, March. 1864; John W. Smallwood,
died at llunts\ille, .\la., March, 1865: Jeremiah Vanderpool, died at Nash-
ville. .August, 1864.
THIRTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
First Lieut. Joseph H. Reeves, died March 15, 1864; Francis D. Mathew,
\eleran, killed on picket near Atlanta, August, 1864: John Ashbrook, died
at Danxille Prison, \^a., January. 1864; James W. Nichols, died at Ander-
sonxille Prison. December. 1864: John W. Smith, died in Andersonville
Prison: John M. Sharp, died at Chattahoochee River. Ga.. July. 1864.
FIFTIETH REGIMENT.
Capt. Isaac S. Dains. died of disease at Little Rock, Ark. ; William H.
Coffey, died at Little Rock; William Lee, died at Little Rock; John Thomp-
son, died at Louisburg, Ark.
EIGHTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Lieut. -Col. Paul E. Slocum, died of wounds received in action March 3,
1864; Second Lieut. Samuel Guy, died of disease. May 22. 1863; William J.
Craig, killed at Resaca, May, 1864; Henry W. Bunger, died at home, Decem-
ber. 1862; James E. Bunger. died at home, August. 1864. of wounds at Re-
saca; Adam A. Copenhaver, died of wounds at Chattanooga. February. 1864;
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 3^5
Samuel Coan, died at Mnrfreesboro. February, 1863: W'illiaiu Currv, died
March, 1864, of wounds received at ^Mission Ridge; James R. Dearman,
killed at Chickamauga, September, 1863: George \\". Dubois, died at Gallatin,
Tenn. : George W. Edwards, died at ?\Jurfreesboro, Fel)ruarv, 1S63: John L.
Gardner, died at Xashville, Tenn., Alarch, 1863: Ro])ert P. Hanna, died at
Atlanta. October. 18O4: William Marbison. died at Louis\-ille, Kv. : Daniel
C. Houston, died at Galkitin, Tenn., Xovember, i8f)4: Joseph Lills, died
October, 1863, of wounds recei\ed at Chickamauga; Abram Mav. died at
Nashville. Tenn.. February. 1863; Clark INIcDermott. killed at Chickamauga.
September. 1863: \\'illiam McDermott. died of wounds received at Chicka-
mauga: Emmett AlitcheH, died at Xashville, Temi., Februarv, 18^)3; Edward
T. Sluss. died Sei)tem])er, \8-(^. of wounds; George W. \\'hitaker. died at
Howling. K_\-.. June. i8fi3; James Russell, killed at Chickamauga; John W.
Temple, killed at Resaca ; J. V>. Hoo\-er. died at Louisville. Ivv. ; James M.
I'urris. died in Andersonx ille I'rison: George ^'und. died at Chickamauga.
NINETY-THIRD REGIMENT.
David Meadows, died at Cahaba. .\la., September. i8()4; Josepli Hoosh-
our, supposed to ha\e dietl ; Isom Prince, died in Lawrence county. Ind..
November. 1862; Henry Southern, died at \^'alnut Hills, i^Piss.. July, 1863;
Robert Alton, supposed to have been lost on steamer "Sultana" ; David Miller,
died at Mound City, III.. August. 1863; James Meadows, died at Indian-
apolis. January. 1864.
TENTH C.WAI.RV ('oNE H UNDRED TWENTY-Et FTH ~) .
Capt. Isaac A. Buskirk. died of disease. Jul}- i i, i8()4; William F. Alex-
ander, died at Pulaski. Tenn.. .August. 1864; Horace L. Beatley. died at
Jacksonville Prison, l-da.. May. ]S(>^: \\'illiam 'SI. Berry, died July, 1865;
Richard J. Drake, died at Pulaski. Tenn.. August. 1864; Jonathan East, died
at Louisville. Ky.. April, 1863; Richard R. ]\IcCune. died at Pulaski. Tenn.,
April. 1864; Thomas Peterson, died at Xash\ille. Tenn., Decemlier. 1864:
Samuel Parks, died at St. Louis, Mo., January. 1863; John Quick, died at
Coluinbus. Ind.. April. i8r)4: Aaron J. Rutledge. died at Bloomington. Ind..
April, 1864; James H. Waugh. died at Xashville. Tenn.. of wounds received
December. 1864; William Welch, died at A'icksburg. Miss. August. 1865;
Ira Young, died at N^ashville, Tenn.. X^ovember. 1864; Charles Amor, died at
356 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
Corinth, Miss.; Eli Fowler, died of disease at Ft. Gaines; John R. Fielder,
died of disease at Mobile, Ala.
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
Hugh C. Adams, died at Dalton, Ga., April, 1865; William Clark, died
at Nashville, Tenn., April, 1865 ; James M. Craig, died at Louisville, Ky.,
h>bruary, 1SO5: George H. Collins, died May, 1865; John M. Hubbard, died
at Indianai)olis. Fel>ruary, 1865; Tilghman A. Rogers, died at Dalton, Ga.,
March, 18O5; John Stewart, died at Bainbridge, Ga., October, 1865; James
M. Paule}-, died at Dalton, Ga., .\pril, 1865; James M. Smithvilfe, died at
Cuthbert, Ga., January, 1866; Jordan W'isel)-, died at Dalton, Ga., April, 1865.
MISCELLANEOUS.
James H. Knight, iMfty-ninth, died at Xash\ille, Tenn.; Capt. h>ed But-
ler, Twenty-iirst Battery, died at New Orleans : William Barnes, killed at
.Vshley Gap, Va. : Elvin Farmer, died at Memphis: Milton H. Mobley, Sec-
ond Cavalry, died at New x\lbany; Wren Allen, Second Cavalry, died in
Andersonville Prison; Lee Stevi^art, Second Cavalry, killed at Newman Sta-
tion ; Abraham, Second Cavalry, killed at Newman Station ; Daniel Breakison,
Second Cavalry, died at Corinth; James Thompson, Ninth Battery, killed at
Shiloh; Rol)ert H. <iourley. Twentieth Battery, died at New Maysville, Ind.,
Capt. Peter Kop, T\\ enty-seventh, killed at Antietam ; J. J. Howard, killed in
the service; William Rice, Fourteenth, died in captivity; Capt. Joseph Young,
Ninety-seventh, killed at Kenesaw ; James A. Butcher, Ninety-seventh, died
of wounils at home; James M. Flodges, I-'orty-third, died of disease at Helena,
Ark.; Hiram Reed, .\inety-se\enth, died of disease at Memphis; Alfred
Bowers, Ninety-seventh, killed at Kenesaw; William H. Carmichael, Ninety-
seventh, died at Moscow. Tenn.; James H. Sparks, Ninety-seventh, died at
Camp Sherman; Enoch Alexander, Fifty-ninth, died in Andersonville Prison;
John D. Alexander, Fifty-ninth, died at Chattanooga; Jefiferson Smith,
Thirty-third, killed at Thompson's Station; Lieut. Isaac B. Buskirk, Twenty-
seventh, killed at Chancellorsville ; Samuel Knight, Thirty-third, killed by
guerrillas at Resaca, Ga. ; Joseph Richeson, Twenty-seventh, died at Williams-
port, Md. ; E. F. • Jacobs, Fifty- fourth, died in Field Hospital; Martin
O'Comrel, Twenty-seventh, died in Field Hospital; Thomas Tull, Thirty-
first, died at Corinth; William Simpson, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn.;
A. B. Yates. Second, killed at Vicksburg; Henry Sipes, Twenty-seventh,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 357
killed at Darnestown, ]\ld. : Thomas Todd, Twenty-seventh, died at Darnes-
town, Md. ; E. M. Flatlook, Twenty-seventh, died at Frederick, Md. ; Reuben
Hendrix, killed at Resaca ; George Edwards, Twenty-se\enth, killed at Re-
saca; Thomas Pratt, Twenty-seventh, killed at Atlanta: David Cook, died at
Louisville. Ky. ; C. ^I. Buwen, Twenty-seventh, died at Washington City;
J. W. Litz, Eighty-second, wounded and died at Chattanooga; John Thomas,
Twenty-seventh, killed at Atlanta, Ga. : John Truel)lood, Thirtv-first, died at
Pulaski, Tenn.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
February 15, 1898, was \ irlually the beginning of the short, but decisive,
war with Spain. The I'nited States liattleship "Maine," anchored in Havana
harbor, was blown to pieces by a mine, and nearly all of her officers and men
perished. The tyrannical rule (<i tlie Spanish in Cuba had long held the at-
tention of the I'nited States, and in anticipation of tronljle, or rather preven-
tion, the American war-ship had l)een sent to Culian waters. The traged)- of
the "Maine"" was \irtuall\- a "sla]) in the face,"" and inirnediateh- up(~»n the tele-
graph"s click announcing the destruction of the ship the countrv began pre-
paring for the war which seemed inevital)]e. The press and other avenues of
communication were hot with the news from Washington and Cuba.
Both houses of Congress passed resolutions on the Kjth of .\pril declar-
ing the island of Cuba free from Spanisli jurisdiction, and demanding Si)ain
relint[uish all hold on the island, and directing tlie army and na\-y to carry
the resolutions mto effect. President ^IcKinley ordered a blockade of Cuban
ports on the 22nd ox -\])rU. and on the 23d issued the following proclamation:
"Whereas, a joint resolution of Congress was ai)pro\-ed on the twentieth
dav of April, 1898, entitled 'joint resolution for the recognition of the inde-
pendence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the go\-ernment of Spain
relinquish its authorit\- and go\-ernment in the island of Cul)a, and to with-
draw its na\-al forces from l"ul)an waters, and directing the President of the
l/nited States to use the land and naval forces of the I'nited States to carry
these resolutions into effect": and
"\A'hereas, 1)\- an act oi Compress entitled 'An act to pro\ ide for tempor-
arily increasing the militar\ e-tal)lishment of the Cnitcd States in time of
w-ar and for otlier ])urposes." apjiroved .Xiiril J_', 1808, the President is author-
izefl. in order lo raise a \-olunlerr army, to issue his ])roclamation, calling for
volunteers to ser\-e in the army of the L'nited States:
"Now. therefore, I, William ]\lcKinley, President of the Cnited States,
by \'irtue of the power \-ested in me b\- the Constitution and the laws, and deem-
358 r.AWREKCF. ANT) .MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ing sufficient occasion to exist, ha\ e thought tit to call forth volunteers to the
aggregate number of one hundred and t\vent}-ti\e thousand, in order to carry
into effect the purpose of the said resolution; the same to be apportioned, as
far as to he i)racticable. among the several states and territories and the Dis-
trict of Columbia, according to population, and to serve for two years, unless
sooner discharged. The details of this object will be immediately com-
municated to the proper authorities through the war department.
"Tn witness whereof, 1 have hereunto set m\- hand and caused the seal
of the Tnited States to be affixed.
"Done at the city of W^ashington, this twenty-third day of .\pril, A. D.
1898, and of the independence of the Ignited States the one hundred and
twenty-second.
"William ■NIcKinley.
"By the President :
"T<Hix Sherm.xn, Secretary of State."
Indiana's quota under this call for >iik' hundred and twenty-five thou-
sand men was four regiments of infantry and, two liatteries. Late on the
evening of .\i)rd 25th James A. Mount, go\ernor of Indiana, received the
proclamation, and he then issued orders for the Indiana Xational Guard to
rendezvous at Indianapolis. Before night of the 26th the companies and all
four regiments had arrived at Camp Mount, in Indianapolis. The regiments
were the One Hundred and bifty-sexenth. (Jne Hundred and Fifty-eighth,
One Hundred and Fift\ -ninth and One Hundred and Sixtieth. These regi-
ments were given the numbers commencing where the regiments of the Civil
war ceased. 1 hus the Third Regiment, the first to I)e mustered, took the
name of One Hundred and Fifty-seventh X'olunteer Infantry.
Bloomington, and Monroe county, were represented Iw' Compan\' H, of the
One Hundred and b'ifty-ninth Regiment, which organization was fonned
of the First Regiment, Indiana Xational (iuard, and was composed of com-
panies from Vincennes (two), Terre Haute, New Albany, Washington, Evans-
ville (two), Roachdale, Madison, Brownstown, Bloomington, Greencastle and
Princeton. The company which liecanie H of the One Flundred and Fifty-
ninth had been organized on .May JO, 1891. The regiment, at thy opening of
the war, \\ as under the command of Col. John T. liarrett, and Company H
was officered Iv.- Wi'liam M. Louden, captain: William Hutchings, tirst lieu-
tenant, and Fd.rar .\. l^.inford, second lieutenant. The enlisted men, of whom
a detailed list is unnecessary, numl^ered eight\-one. In the r(_>ll of this regi-
ment, in nronuiient vrnik, \verc other Monroe countv men, amoiig them being
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 359
Theodore J. Louden, major of the regiment, and Charles Rawles, a hattaHon
adjutant and tirst heutenant.
Company 11 arrived at Camp Mount, IndianapuHs. on .Vpril _'0, 1898,
and on May 12th was mustered into the vohmteer ser\'ice of the United
States. On the 22d the regiment entrained at the Hoosier ca])ital and were
transported to Camp R. A. Alger, at Dunn Loring, Virginia, arriving there
on May 24th. In this location the troops remained until August 3d, when
they undertook a forty-mile march, liy easy stages, to Thoroughfare Gap,
Virginia. Their encampment at this place lasted until August 28th, thence
by rail to Cauip Meade, near Middletown, Pennsylvania. The men were
taken from Camp Meade hack to Camp Mount, Indianapolis, on SeiJtember
nth, and on the i8th were furloughed for a period of thirt\- days, which
was extended by order of the war department to November loth. On the
23d day of Xo\ ember, 1898. the One Himdred and Fifty-ninth was nnistered
from the service.
Of all the troops which assembled at Cam]) Mount in the spring of
1898, none of tiie Indiana troops were sent to the scene of action but the
Twenty-seventh Battery, which went to Porto Rico. The One Hundred and
Fifty-sventh was sent to Chickamauga Park, also the One Hundred and
Fifty-eighth and One Hundred anil Sixtieth. The second call of President
McKinley, for seventy-fi\e thousand men, on May 2=,. 1898, ga\e the quota
of Indiana as one regiment of infantry, two companies of colored troops,
one company of engineers, and one company of signal corps. Monroe county
was not represetited in this enlistment.
The brevit;, of the war with S])ain, and the consei|ucnt atle(|uacy of the
Cnited States regulars and the navy, pire\ented the men from Indiana from
seeing the actual smoke of battle, but nevertheless, their ])atriotism was un-
questioned. Diiring the tiresome wait at Cam[) 'bhomas, Chickamauga. and
other places, the men were kept acti\e by the expectation of a call for the
front at anv moment. Had the_\- been called upon they would not ha\e hesi-
tated to ofYer their lives for the country, and as willingly as their fathers had
done in the dark days of "61 to '65.
At the beginning of the Spanish- American war the Indiana Xational
Guard was composed of fort\'-one comijanies, making three liattalions. or a
total of two thrusand eight hundred and twenty-two men.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE OOLITIC STONE INDUSTRY.
So far as has been ascertained by geologists and scientists, the peculiar
and superior formation known as oolitic stone (fine grained limestone) is
only found witiiin a small belt of country not to exceed thirty-five miles in
length and i\\t miles in width, practically all in Alonroe and Lawi-ence
counties, Indiana. Bloomington is about the exact center of this famous
stone belt, and Alonroe county was the pioneer at developing the industry of
quarrying this valuable geological formation. The first attempt was not
far from 1850, when General Love opened the first quarry of the entire belt,
near Stinesville. this county. Today, this stone and the celebrated "Bedford
stone" (substantially the same) are known the world over, especially in the
building circles of the United States, for there arc thousands of structures
of various kinds and sizes constructed from these wonderful formations.
During the davs of the Civil war, in 186^, near Ellettsville, this county,
the next f|uarry was operated by that pioneer stone master, John Matthews.
It must be remembered that this industry did not jump into great prominence
at first, because of the crude appliances and tools then extant for bringing
forth this rich treasure from the earth. Then band drills were usetl on the
ledges, and stone was blasted out with powder and handled l\v hand-])ower
derricks. It was not until 1873 ^-hat the first stone channeling machines
were brought to this wonderful stone belt by John Matthews. 1'his ma-
chine— a wonder in itself at the time — completely revolutionized the methods
for quarrying and transporting stone, yet, for all that advancement, it re-
mained still to i^rovide some b.etter mehods for transporting the stone from
the quarries. The band and horse-power derricks only carried a lilock of
stone containing about eighty cubic feet, weighing 15,000 pounds, and no
railroad company would allow more than one hundred and twenty-five cubic
feet loaded on any one car. Rut wMth the modern equipment blocks of stone
weighing more than forty tons and containing four hundred and fifty cubic
feet are quarried and the stone cars today transport as much as seven hundred
culiic feet of ,aone each. Again, since the introduction of improved ma-
cbincT\', lietter (.hanueling machines, steam drills and powerful derricks with
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 361
wire cable, the development of this great industry has Ijeen rapid and indeed
wonderful.
In 1912 there were in operation seventeen stone quarries, twenty-
two stone mills and fifteen complete cut-stone plants, within Monroe
county. The approximate value of these plants was fixed by the Com-
mercial Club of Bloomington at two million dollars. This industry
furnished steady employment to hundreds of workmen, at good wages.
Of this immense output of bufif and blue oolitic stone, large quantities
were shipped to distant sections of this country and into Canada. There
is scarcelv a citv of note on the continent that does not have one or
more structures constructed from this valuable material — court houses,
state houses, school buildings, great bridges, monumental work, orna-
mental stone work, etc., all come in for their full share in the shipments
just enumerated as coming from these Monroe county quarries. The
industry is increasing with the growth of cities, and annually better
facilities are being discovered bv which to handle the business success-
full}- and more i)rofitabIy.
The building of the new branch of the Illinois Central railroad to
the south and west of Bloomington is fast developing a new stone field.
Thousands of acres of entirely undeveloped stone formation of this
superior stone is still to be found lying all around the environments of
Bloomington. The same is true of excellent beds of clay and shale.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
On account of a seeming misunderstanding concerning the real
qualitv of the "oolitic" and "Bedford stone," the following report, from
State Geologist ^^^ S. Blatchley was made in June. 1909:
To IVhoii! It May Concern :
Manv inquiries which have recently come to the department of geology
relative to the comparative character and quality of the Indiana oolitic lime-
stone at various points in the area over which it outcrops have led me to
make the following brief general statement regarding said stone :
The oolitic limestone outcrops in Indiana from a point near Parkers-
burg, Montgomerv county, southward to the Ohio river, a distance of one
hundred and forty-two miles. Throughout this length the width of the out-
crop varies from two to fourteen miles, averaging about five miles. The
conditions of its deposition were practically the same throughout this area,
362 LAWRENCE AND iMONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
it being everywhere immediately underlain by the Harrodsburg limestone
and overlain by the Mitchell limestone.
It is everywhere a granular limestone or calcareous sand rock, in which
both the grains and the cement are carbonate of lime. That the variation
in chemical composition is exceedingly small is shown by the following
analyses, No. i being that of a sample from a leading quarry in Lawrence
county, No. 2 from a similar quarry in Monroe county, and No. 3 the average
from eight of the leading quarries throughout the area :
No. I. No. 2. No. 3.
per cent, per cent, per cent.
Carbonate of lime ( Ca CO"' ) 98.27 98. ii 97.62
Carbonate of magnesia (Mg CO^) .84 .92 .61
Iron oxide & alumina ( Fe- O-'^+AP O^) .15 .16 .36
Insoluble residue .64 .86 .91
In all commercial quarries there is at the top a layer or cut of tine-
grained hiitt stone averaging about seven feet in thickness, followed by
three to five cuts of medium-grained buff stone, totalling twenty-one to
thirty-five feet in thickness, the bottom one of these being underlain by one
or two cuts of coarser-grained blue stone. While the cut of fine-grained
top stone (often called "marble") is most sought after, no one company
or quarry can furnish a large amount of it. Moreover, experience has fully
l^roven that the medium-grained stone from the middle cuts, which com-
prises most of the output, contains fewer flaws, is fully as durable and is
more uniform in color. Every quarry now operated can put forth, there-
fore, different grades of stone, and the quarries of no one district have any
advantage over those of another in this respect.
In conclusion I will say that the name "Bedford oolitic" was originally
given this stone because the first quarries on a large scale were opened up
near Bedford, Lawrence county. The name "Indiana oolitic limestone" has
been adojited ]\v this department, since In- conferring upon it the broader
name "Indiana" no one locality in the 'state will he advertised as against
another, the stone in Monroe county being as tyjMcally oolitic and as ex-
cellent in quality as that about Bedford.
EARLY QUARRYING METHODS.
'I he earliest settlers did not use much of the oolitic limestone because
of the difficulty in c|uarrying it. After its valual:)le ])roperties were dis-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 363
covered, it had some local usage, in which the stone was obtained b}- the
liberal use of powder from the loose bowlders and outcropping ledges. Tt
is almost the universal practice of country masons, where the stone is quar-
ried by hand, to blast it from the ledges, and if the ])locks are too large to
handle, to break them with another charge of powder. With the invention
of the channeling machine and the opening of the large quarries, the use
of powder was discontinued, and at the present no powder is used except ,
for removing stipping. The noise of the blast has gi\en away to the clatter
of the channeler. Xo channeling machines were in use in this stone belt
prior to 1877.
PRICES AND TRANSPORTATION.
In 1866 James Needham, operating the Salem quarries, sold rough
rock at thirty-five cents per cubic foot, and Ellettsville quarries were selling
for the same rate. The stone that \\ cut into the Illinois state house was 1 idled
at one dollar per foot. In 1873 the Marion cnunty, Indiana, court house
was built with this stone, at thirty cents per foot, whicli price olitained prac-
tically until 1S77. In 1878 the Indiana capitol building was charged twenty-
five cents per cubic foot. In 1881 the prices were: Milled blocks, twenty-
five cents; scabbled dimension lilocks and stone, thirty to thirty-five cents;
sawed on all four sides, seventy-five cents per cubic foot. In 1891 prices,
owing to improved methods, had declined to mill-jjlocks at twenty cents per
cubic foot and four-sided sawed wfjrk at fifty cents. Xo material change
was had until 1895, since which time eacli quarry has ri.xed its own prices.
The average price, per lineal fo(jt, of oolitic stone in 1907 was as follows:
3 by 8, sixteen cents; 3 by 20, forty cents; 5 by 20. sixty-seven cents; 6 by
19, seventy-six cents; 8 by 20, one dollar; 11 by 19, one dollar and thirty
cents per lineal foot. Monumental bases, thirty-fi\-e cents per foot; statuary
stock, gra}- or luift', fifty cents to one tlollar.
COST OF SHIPPING.
The freight rates on a hundred pounds of this stone ( billed from Bed-
ford) a few vears ago were: To Chicago, eleven cents; Kansas City, forty-
three cents; Cincinnati, Ohio, six cents: Indianapolis, se\-en cents; Iowa
points, twenty-eight cents ; Utah, fift}- cents ; Xew York, same as Iowa ; De-
troit, twelve cents ; Boston, thirtv cents ; Pittsburg, eighteen cents.
364 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
MONROE COUNTY QUARRIES ACTIVE AND INACTIVE.
Oolitic Stone has Ijeen quarried near Stinesville many years. There
were four acti\e and numerous inactive quarries there in 1907. Large
quantities of stone have Ijeen shipped from there to distant points in the
United States. Flere the merchantable thickness of the stone is thirty feet.
It is harder to quarry here than farther south in the belt. Probably the first
man to open quarries here was Richard Gilbert, in 1827-28. from the east
blufif of Jack's Defeat creek, three-fourths of a mile south of town. From
these quarries came the stone for the abutments to the bridges over White
river and Bean Blossom creek. But not until the building of the New Albany
& Salem railroad, now the "Monon,"' in 1853, did this stone have a name
abroad. It was then that Messrs. AVatts and Biddle. of Pennsylvania, pur-
chased twenty acres three-fourths of a mile west of Stinesville, and soon
commenced their extensive operations. A substantial steam stone mill of
six gangs, rocker-shaft pattern, was erected, and in 1855 they were prepared
to furnisli both rough and sawed stone to the trade.
The Chicago and Stinesville Stone Company was organized in 1889,
and later was stvled the PjIuc Creek Stone Company, which virtually had to
suspend and go into the hands of a receiver on account of the great 1893
panic, but it was reorganized in 1895. as the Indiana Steam Stone Works.
Two years later the quarry was abandoned. Other companies in the Stines-
ville district are these : Big Creek Quarry, North Bedford Stone Company,
Romona Oolitic Stone Company, George Plenly Stone Company: J- Hoad-
ley & Sons Company, opened in April, 1905, is an immense quarry, and
covers over twenty acres of land; Red Hill Stone Company, opened in 1903,
was worlred onlv one }'ear.
In the Ellettsville district, in 1862, John ?vlatthews opened the first
quarrv cmc mile north of F.llettsville village. They operated the first chan-
neling machines and steam hoist, purchased about 1877, the same being a
"Wardwell," for which six thousand dollars was paid, or the price of five
such machines today. These quarries extend along the Clear creek bluffs
for more than a quarter of a mile. ^lost of this stone is a beautiful buff,
yet much of the blue variety also obtains.
\. E :\Iatthews Cut Stone Company established in 1903. in the bed of
the old Matthews quarry, an establi.shment for planing cut stone work. The
capacity is tventy thousand culnc feet per year, with the twelve workmen
employed — at least such were the figures in 1907. Another plant is the
LAWRF.XCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. • 365
Perry Brothers Stone Company, successor to the old Perry quarries opened
in 1862, along with the Matthews Brothers quarry of 1866, and which were
in operation nearly forty years. The quarry at the upper mill was closed in
1896, then reopened and finally abandoned entirely in 1902. The Perrys
have been heavy operators. In the spring of 1907 they organized a company
known as the EUettsville-Perry Quarries Company, and under a new lease
opened up a quarry five hundred feet aljove the old quarry.
Another company is the Griswold & Chambers Company, of Chicago,
who leased a part of the Perry holdings in 1907. They soon had in operation
six gang-saws and one planer. The Eclipse Stone Company is on the
northern outskirts of the village of EUeltsville. This is a Chicago concern
and it has a fine stone mill building. This was installed in 1903 and saws
stone only "for the market, employing, in 1907, twelve men. In the famous
Hunter Valley district is where the stone for the old Monroe county court
house, erected in 1819, was taken from. The body of .the building was of
brick, but the basement was of this oolitic stone, and it was probably the
first ever used for Iniilding uses in the county. In 1906 the present court
house at Bloomington was constructed from stone near Ellettsville. The
stone for the old court house was quarried, of course, by hand, but it stood
the test of time and the invading elements of ninety years, as pieces of the
stone are still to be had as positive proof of this statement.
As early as 1856 stone was sawed by hand in Bloomington by Jesse
Carson, and it may still be seen in monuments at the cemetery west of the
city. But not until 1891 did the quarries of this district assume much im-
portance, after which they figured much in the great industry. The Morton
C. Hunter Stone Company, organized in Bloomington in late years, placed
in operation fine appliances for handling the valuable output. The Chicago
& Bloomington Stone Com])any was the next to follow the Hunters in this
district, opening in 1902. The Consolidated Stone Company, which was
third in the valley, was opened in 1902. Then there is the later Consolidated
companies, working a series of quarries hereabouts. The business of this
corporation is simply prodigious. The Johnson quarry. Hunter Brothers'
Stone Company, seven years ago employed thirty men and produced rough
oolitic stone at eight cents per cubic foot.
The Star Stone Company was established in 1895, and dexeloped at a
depth of sixty-five feet. The Crescent Stone Company in 1893 opened up a
half mile to the east of the Consolidated No. 2, and was worked until 1902,
when a new opening was made to the west.
366 LWVRKNCr: AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
The Hunter Valley Stone Company is adjoining the Crescent quarry to
the northwest; this was opened in 1895 and constantly worked until 1906.
It had been worked out to a depth of seventy feet, the deepest of any north
of Bedford. Here hft\-four feet of merchantable stone is taken out. The
grain is said to be almost equal to granite.
In the Bloomington district the South Side Stone Comj^any opened its
quarry in 1889, '" the southwest part of the city of Bloomington. It was
abandoned in 1893, and the property was purchased by the Henley Stone
Company as the site for a stone mill, which was operated until it was ab-
sorbed in 19 10 by a new company.
The Central Oolitic Stone Company was formed in 1890 and a plant
installed the next year, north of the city. The Hoadley Cut Stone Company,
a quarter of a mile north of the Hoadley null, was completed in 1906. In
1907 the state reports show there were in operation in this district four
mills in Bloomington city and six active quarries and se\en mills. The con-
struction of the Blinois Central railroad has given a new impetus to the
industry in this district.
In the Sanders district are located the Oolitic Stone Company, the
Monroe County Oolitic Stone Company, the Empire Stone Company, the
Achme-Bedford Stone Company, the Bufifalo Stone Company, the Mathers
Stone Company, organized in 1892. the Wicks Stone Company, the Chicago
& Bloomington Company, all of which have been doing a successful business
for a longer or shorter time.
In the Belt district are the quarries of the National Stone Company,
United States Stone Company, Monarch Stone Company, Eagle Stone Com-
pany. Clear Creek Comjiany, Crown Stone Company. W. McMillen & Son
and others. 11ie last named, in 1907, had an output of 12.375 cubic feet in
a single week. Eort\- men were then being worked fifteen hours a day, and
received twenty-seven cents per hour.
In the Victor district, a more recently worked part of the stone region,
in 1907 reported Johnson & Mathews Stone Company No. 18, the Cleveland
Stone Company's quarry and smaller concerns, to which have since been
added extensive works by numerous companies.
.\t this date, Septem])er. 1913, there are nearly a score of separate quar-
ries within Monroe county, all turning out a large amount of stone, which
finds its way to many states and into the walls of thousands of buildings,
bridges, monuments and other structures. It is really the leading industry
of the county and is a wealth producer.
CHAPTER XV.
.OOMINGTOiV TOWNSHIP AND CITY.
Without being positive as td the exact date of the coming of the first
settlers to what is now known as Bloomington, it may be stated for a cer-
tainty that such settlers made their advent here as early as iS 15-16, and
fKDssibly white men were here a year or so before these dates. The Indian
power in all Indiana was crushed by the decisive liattle of Tippecanoe in
the autumn of 1811, at Battle Ground, near the present city of Lafayette.
But it took a few years to fully satisfy the would-lie immigrants that no
further trouble witli the red men would ensue. There has Iieen, and is still
extant, those partial evidences from old settlers that there were a few fami-
lies who braved the dangers of this county between r8io and 181 1, but this
is purely traditional. It is believed, too, that if such settlement was effected
that early that Bloomington township had its share of pioneer men and
women. As late as 1816 this county was all an untamed wilderness, without
boundary or surveys, inhabited by wild animals and half subdued savages.
All of the county north of the o'.d Indian boundary was yet the property of
the Indians, and so remained until the treaty of St. Mary's, Ohio, in October,
t8i8. It was then ceded to the government as a part of the "New Pur-
chase." Bv the time of the first land entries at Bloomington, in 181 6.
there were a score of families already residing here, .\mong those who
entered land here during the first four or fwe years after the first land sale
— in fact all who entered land during that period — are the following, with
the sections of land and _\'ear of entr\- :
David Rogers, section 33, i8rC); Joseph 'i\aylor. section t,;^. i8t6:
George Ritchey, section 33, i8rf): George Hedrick, section 33, 1816; George
Ketchum, section 6, t8i6: Henry \\'ampler, section 6, 1816: .\dam Bovver.
section 6, t8i6; Th(imas Smith, section 7, t8t6: William Julian, section 7.
1816: William J. .\dair, section 7, 1816; George Parks, section 8, 1816:
John Kell, section 17, 1816; James Parks, section 17. 1816; John Owens,
section t8. 1816: David Stout, section ig, 18 [6: Samuel C'aldwell, section
19. 1816: Roderick Rawlins, section jo, i8t6: Joseph Taylor, section 20.
1816; Tatnes Parks, section 20, 1816: George Hall, section 21, 1816: David
368 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Raymond, section 21, 1816; Jacob Renderhach, section 25, 1816. All of the
following came in 1816: Ebenezer Daggett, section 27; James Borland,
section 27; Gideon Frisbee, section 28; John Lee, section 28; William Mat-
lock, section 28 ; Samuel Camphries, section 28 ; Thomas Graham, section
29; James Clark, section 29; Abraham Appier, section 29; Christopher Es-
linger, section 30: Henry Wampler, section 32; Henry Rodgers, section 34;
John Thompson, section 34; Wheeler Matlock, section 34; Samuel Scott,
section 34; William Jackson, section 35; John Jackson, section 35; Thomas
Heady, section 36; John Grififith, section 15, 1817; James Matlock, section
18, 1817; James Wood, section 19, 1817, and all of the following came in
1817: John Buskirk, section 25; Lawrence Smoyer, section 29; Samuel
Rogers, section 30; James Wood, section 30; Titan Kemble, section 31;
Simon Chauvin, section 31; Chesley D. Bailey, section 32; Robertson Gra-
ham, section 32; Granville Ward, section 35; N. Fletcher, section 35. In
1818 came William Goodwin to section 13; Thomas Barger, section 19;
Abraham Buskirk, section 24; Stephen P. Sealls, section 26; O. F. Barker,
section 30; Ebenezer Dickey, section 32: in 1820 came George Whisenard,
section 6; Thomas Heady, section 24, 1821. These were the only entries in
this township prcAnous to 1822.
TtlE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.
Bloomington, the seat of justice of Monroe county, is beautifully sit-
uated JTfty-seven miles southwest of Indianapolis, at the junction of the
"Monon" and Illinois Central railway lines, on almost the highest elevation
in Indiana, in the midst of an elegant country of gently rolling lands, here and
there breaking into picturesque hills and romantic valleys, ever a feast to the
eye of the beholder. The census of the United States in 1910 placed the
center of population in the United States at a point within the city limits of
Bloomington, the marker being a few feet from the Showers Brothers Com-
pany's great furniture factory.
The first entries of land in which now includes the present city of
Bloomington, all in sections 32 and 33, township 9, range i. and each for a
quarter section, were filed by the following persons, on dates given : George
Ritchey, September 26. 1816; George Hedrick, same date; David Rogers,
same date; Joseph Tajdor, same date; Henry Wampler. same date; Chesley
Bailey, February 5, 1817: Robertson Graham, May 26, 1817; Ebenezer
Dickey, February 12, 1818.
It is likelv that no one lived on the town site until 181 6, at which time
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 369
both Rogers and Graham built log houses. It is usually believed that these
pioneer cabins were erected in 1817. In June, 1818, when the iirst lots were
laid out, a wheat crop was growing on land purchased of Mr. Rogers.
David Rogers entered the southwest quarter of section t,t,, on which a por-
tion of the town was platted, but Jonathan Rogers afterward obtained a
I^art interest in the land, as his name appears upon the deed which conveyed
the land to Monroe county.
The town of Bloomington was ordered platted by the county commis-
sioners April to, 1818, and it was by the first board named "Bloomington."
The county agent was ordered to oversee the work. Pie was instructed to
make the public square measure two hundred and seventy-six feet, and to
lay out lots sixty-six by one hundred and thirty-two feet, and the streets
eighty-two and a half feet wide. The num])er of lots to be platted was left
to the agent of the county. The first [)ublic sale of lots was advertised to
take place at auction June 22. 18 18, the notice <^f such auction was ordered
published in the IVestcni Sun. of Vincennes ; the LonisviUc Correspondent,
the Argus of JVestern America, the JJ'^cstern Eagle, of Madison, and the
Liberty Hall, of Cincinnati. Jonathan Nichols was appointed to survey the
town plat. The county records contain the following interesting order:
"On motion of Bartlett Woodward, ordered that the agent of this county
procure one barrel of whisky and have it at the sale of the lots in Blooming-
ton." This was e\identlv thought as a stimulater to bidders for lots — some-
thing to nerve up the inner-man, as it wei'e ! That the authorities were cor-
rect in this, it needs only to lie seen that the lot sales reached the large
amount of $14,326.85 the first day of the sale. That might ha\e been a
wise move at that day, but today it would not work with the same results.
It will doubtless be of interest to know who purchased these first Blooming-
ton town lots, as many of the family names still are popular in this county
and Indiana. They included John Scutt, 1). Thompson, Christian Eppinger,
John Keys, Arthur Harris, W. A. Beatty, W\ P. Anderson, William Lowe,
Robinson Graham, David Sears. Floyd Cummings, Samuel Coleman, James
Borland, George Hedrick. W. D. Hoof, David Rogers. James Dunning, James
Newman, Jonathan Rogers, Thomas Smith, B. Miller W. D. McCullough,
Jacob B. Lowe, William Curl, Henry Wampler, Coleman Pruitt, Elias
Goodwin. Abner Goodwin. Solomon Bowers, John Owens, Samuel Scott,
Sr., Nathan Julian, Isham Sumter, Hezekiah Woodford, Benjamin Freeland,
George Richey, David Matlock, Lewis Noel, Samuel Haslett, James Denny,
John Buskirk, Z. ^^'illiams, Moses Williams. T. B. Clark, Eli Lee, Thomas
(24)
37© r.AWKKNCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Lee. William Hardin, Nelson Moore, Ebenezer McDonald, J. W. Lee, Aquilla
Rogers, John Foster, Thomas Hadey, Granville Ward, James Dickins, Ste-
phen S. Bigger, Susannah Lee, Jonathan Nichols, Reuben Fullen, Martha
Brown, W. B. Brown, Joshua Howe and James Brown. The land upon
which the town had been located was purchased from Jonathan and David
Rogers and Robert Graham. The Roger brothers were paid one thousand
two hundred dollars for such land and Mr. Graham nine hundred dollars for
one hundred and fifty acres soon after the first sale of lots. At the original
sale of lots Jonathan Nichols, surveyor, laid out two hundred and eight lots
and received thirty cents each for his surveying services. Benjamin Parks
was allowed, as agent for the county, thirty-three dollars and fiftv cents for
the whisky used at the lot sale. The spirits were received from Whisenand.
Robinson Graham was chain carrier ; Aquilla Rogers, chain carrier ; John
Owen, chain carrier; Lewis Noel was "crier" or auctioneer. James Parks
was clerk of tlie sale. b'uathan Rogers was "ta])ster'" and dealt out the
whisky, and was allowed one dollar a day for his services as bartender.
There was a shortage of about fifteen per cent, when the lots come to be
finally settled for. A few sold for over two hundred dollars each — not many so
high, howexer. The sale was "spirited," of course, l)ut the countv lost aliout
thirty per cent, of the purchase price before the collections were all made.
The cash receipts from the town lot sales from November, 1820, to
November. 1821, were $3,860. Of this amount $3,207 was expended. In
Februarv, 1822, the agent reported in bis possession notes from the sale of
lots to the amount of over $18,000. This fund was the most extensive and
useful in the county's early history and organization.
BLOOMINGTON PLATS.
In 1818 the county commissioners of the newly organized county of
Monroe purchased two quarter sections of land, bounded by the township
line near Third street on the south, by the quarter section lines of Dunn
street on the east, in Tenth street on the north and on the west side of Oak
street on the west.
Jonathan Nichols, grandfather of the members of the present firm of
Nichols & Nichols, architects, was employed by the commissioners to lay out
and establish the town site of Bloomington for the seat of justice of the new
count}'. He was ordered to make the streets eighty-two and one-half feet
wide, alleys, twelve feet wide and the lots sixty-six feet wide by a hundred and
I.AWRENXE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 371
thirty-two feet long, the lots to face on the four main streets bordering the
court house square, originally called North, South, East and West Main
streets, now known as Sixth street. Fifth street or Kirkwood avenue, Wal-
nut street and College avenue.
He first located the court house square on the ratlier prominent knoll,
as it then lay in the cornfield that it was, two hundred and seventy-six feet
square. He evidently used the compass to determine the north and south line
without making any correction for the declination of the needle, the streets
now running about five degrees east of true north. The four corners of the
square were marked by stone a foot square and six feet long set in the ground
as far as the limestone under the soil would permit. It happened that the
southwest corner of the square fell over a crevice in the limestone and this
stone might probably be still in place if it had not been remo\'ed in 1864 to
place a Lincoln flag pole in the hole it occupied. The stub of such a pole was
found at this point, well preserved, and a part of it was removed when the
brick pavement was placed about the square in iqio. Frank Bishop is one
yet living who saw the stone removed at the time of the flag-pole raising, and
he states that the stone was afterwards broken up and used for macadam on
the streets. If these stones had been smaller and less in the way as obstruc-
tions they might all have remained in place to the present time.
Mr. Nichols first laid out three rows of blocks two hundred and seventy-
six feet square, each containing eight lots and a twelve-foot alley each way
through the center of the block. These fir,st platted blocks lie between Tliird
street and Sixth street. He was ordered to add two m(-)re rov.s of blocks on
the north, thus extending the plat to what is now Eighth street. The four
corners of this original plat of in-lots were at some time marked by corner
stones of the same size as those marking the corners of the public .square.
These stones were vet in position in 1848 when County Agent Tanner laid out
the east fractional lots, and such a stone is still in its place at Eighth and
Jackson streets. David Hughes has stated that he remembers the one as it
stood at Third and Jackson streets when he was a boy at play about that
place. In a search for evidence of the stone on Third street, near Dunn street,
at the time of the construction of Third street in igii. a hole in. the \-ery red
clav two and one-half feet across and four feet deep, filled in with light and
dark streaks of soil, with clay, was found one hundred and fifty-five feet west
of the quarter section line in Dunn street where the st(ine was located accord-
ing to County Agent Tanner's description. The stone at the northeast corner
of the plat of in-lots. on Eighth street near Dunn street, was probabh' removed
some time soon after 1848 in the construction of vats for the old Alexander
372 LAWRENCK AND .MONROE COUXTIES, INDIANA.
tannery, which occupied the lots on either side of the stone. These old vats
were cut through when constructing the Dunn street drain across Eighth
street in 1907, near the position of the stone as given by Tanner, one hun-
dred and twenty-seven and a half feet west of the quarter section line in Dunn
street.
These three hundred and fifty-two in-lots did not occupy all of the two
quarter sections purchased, in any direction from the public square, and the
county agent at once proceeded to lay out out-lots of various sizes much larger
than the in-lots. Seventeen were platted on the west in 1819, numbered from
I to 17, nine on the south, numbered from 18 to 26, and twenty on the north,
numbered from 27 to 46, exclusive of Graham's Reserve, a parcel of land
held by Mr. Graham, the former owner of the west quarter section. In 1848
County Agent Tanner platted what remained east of the in-lots into six lots
numbered from 353 to 358, a continuation of the in-lot numbers instead of
the out-lot numbers, although the lots, excepting 358, were much more than
twice the size of the in-lots. The plats of some of these out-lots as they
occur in the records do not show the signatures and acknowledgments of the
county agent and because of this fact some litigation has arisen in which
certain property holders have taken the interesting position of claiming title
to their property by reason of the plat and at the same time denying the rights
of the public to the easements for streets as shown by the plat. Most of the
out-lots west and north have been replatted into city lots.
Tn 1820 the west half of section 4 and the east half of section 5, in town-
ship 8 north, range i west, which lie immediately south of the two quarter
sections purchased for the site of the town of Bloomington, were platted into
the Seminary Square, containing ten acres, the first site of Indiana University,
where the city high school is now located, and eighty seminary square lots
surrounding it. These lots were of different sizes from those immediately
abutting the Square, which are about the size of two ordinary city lots, up to
twenty-seven acres, the area of lot 80 in the southeast corner of the plat.
Very many of these lots have been sub-divided, either platted or sold by
metes and bounds, into building lots.
Similar amounts of land east and west of these first seminary lots were
soon afterwards platted into seminary lots and many of these have also been
sub-divided into building lots. Most, if not all. of the corners of these sem-
inary lots were marked by corner stones, a great many of which are still in
place. The first set of these lots platted was "circumscribed" by an alley
which is now Henderson street on the east and Walker street on the west.
Both of these streets are thirtv-three feet in ^\ idth and measurements of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. T,J7,
lots and locations of the section lines show that the alley was the same width
on the north and on the south of the lots. The alley on the north was aban-
doned because of the platting of the south fractional lots just north of it along
Third street, thus putting two streets only fifty-three feet apart. The descrip-
tion given in McCullouch's Addition states that this alley was afterwards
vacated by an act of the Legislature. The south fractional lots are given on
the plat as eighty links in width. The part of the alley occupied by the owners
of these fractional, as shown by the lines as now located, increases the width
of the fractionals to about seventy-six feet and in this way the original width
of eighty links has come to be confused with eighty feet and many deeds have
passed for this width, resulting even in some litigation.
The chain used by Surveyor Xichols in laying out these original plats was
evidently much worn, so much so that there is a surplus of about one to six
inches to the lot of sixty-six feet. The surplus is greatest on the level por-
tions of the plats, as on Dunn street, and is least on Eighth street, where there
were four considerable hills and valleys over which to survey. The presence
of this varying surplus has been the cause of much confusion as to lines and
in some cases has led surveyors to miss the original location of a lot line by
several feet. Different surveyors have gotten quite different locations for the
same lot and many people, not knowing the cause of the glaring discrepancies,
have come to have no faith at all in some surveyors in ])articular and very
little faith in surveyors in general. An effort is now being made to locate the
original lines accurately and corner stones are being placed on the lot corners
at the street intersections so that purchasers of lots can see the lines of the
property they are buying. Very naturally the owners of many properties that
have encroached on the streets, particularly owners of corner lots who wish
to occupv them with two or three houses, complain that the stones injure the
sale of the property, which is probably quite correct. On the other hand the
city authorities feel that in justice to the public and to purchasers of real
estate the stones should plainly mark the lines, so that within perhaps the
next fifty years when the greater part of the original in-lots come to be used
for business properties instead of for residences the streets will be ample in
width for the traffic that is certain to develop.
THE BEGINNING OF BLOOMINGTON.
Much of the population, at the date of organization, lay in the neigh-
borhood of the respective county-seat town. Many citizens visited the spot
set apart by the board for the seat of justice. The streets running north and
T^yj^ LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
south, beginning on the west, were named Pophir. Cherry, Spring, West,
East, Walnut, Blue and Buck. Those running east and west, beginning on
the south, were calletl A\'ater, South, North and \A'ashington. Since then
some of these street names have been changed. The settlement of the town
was indeed wonderful. By the end of 1818 not less than thirty families
resided in the place in hastily-built log ca1:)ins, or rude frame houses, from
the saw-mill of old Mr. Blair. A log court house had lieen l)uilt in which
was taugbt the hrst school in the county. Stores and blacksmith shops had
been set in operation : tailors, saloons, hotels, and an irregular stage service
had been instituted — at least they received their mail (once in a while). The
town had a possible population of a hundred and fifty souls. In 1820 the
population had reached three hundred.
The first store had been opened in i8i8 b}- W'illiam Tlardin, who had
about a hundred dollars worth of general goods and a large stock in whisky.
He also kept a tavern. The second tavern was l)y George Whisenand, and
he also handled liquors at his ta\ern bar. Separate stores were soon opened
by Messrs. Howe, Owens and Batterton. Liquor in those days was always
classed as "wet groceries." In 1824 the population had reached quite the
five hundred mark, and Blo(imingt(Mi was known as one of the best towns
in this portion of the state.
About 1820 Austin Seward commenced the manufacture of wagons, as
did also I'enjamin Xoel. A\'illiam .Mexander built a tannery in the east
part of town, and Col. Joseph Campliell started one a mile west of town.
Blair & Lowe owned a horse mill and David Tucker owned another. Here
grain was ground in a most crude manner, and lx:)lted by hand, tbe owner of
the grain doing the turning act. The toll was (ine-sixth. Thacker's mill
supplied his small distillery witb grain. About a liarrel of whisky was pro-
duced per dav. .V man nametl Garner conducted a saw-mill near the college
grounds, the propelling force l)eing cattle or horses on a tread-mill. Ellis
Stone started a carding mill in 1820, and this was operated by means of a
tread-wheel. He occupied his log building for more than twenty \-ears. He
pinned up his packages of rolls with thorns gathered from the woods by
boys whom he hired. In 1824 Haws Armstrong was ojierating h fulling-
mill, which he had started in 1820. He also made a superior article of gun-
powder. Where the high school Iniilding later stood a tannerv was operated
by Samuel Dodds. In 1823 John and Samuel Orchard started a carding
machine, run by ox-power. They also manufactured much linseed oil.
Seward made axes, plows and wagons. In 1823 F.. C. ^loberlv kept a tavern
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 375
and J. H. Lucas opened his store that year. Lucas was uneducated, but ran
for the Legislature against WiUiam Alexander, and by reason of his inter-
esting stories — some smutty — he captured the baser element and was elected
to the office. The old ledgers of the firms of A. & J. Owens, Henry Batterton
and. J. O. Howe show that goods sold at three times as much as they brought
thirty years ago in Monroe county. Calico (prints) were from twenty-five
to fifty cents; while wheat, corn and oats were w^rth from twenty to forty
cents per bushel. Good money was scarce. Paper mone\- was plenty, but
was worth much less than face value. Silver and gold were \ery seldom in
circulation. Small denominations were scarce in silver for vears. and cjuar-
ters were cut in half and the jiieces called "sharp-shins'" and passed current
for six and a quarter cents, or twelve and a half cents, according to their
size. Farmers, however, could barter their produce for goods, the demand
always regulating the su])ply and i^-ices paid. This forced merchants into
pork-packing and grain buving and tci the construction nf flat-boats for the
convevance of produce to the Southern markets.
GENER.U, MUSTER DAY.
The present generation knows nothing, sa\-e l)y reading Nuch accounts as
the following, concerning the early-day militia training and muster days.
From an old reminiscence of Bloomington we quote the following: ■"Bloom-
ington was the rendezvous for the general mustej- of the county militia once
everv \ear. In addition to that, there were company and regiment musters,,
though the battalion or generak muster was In- far the most universally at-
tended. On these occasions old Brigadier-General Lowe donned his uni-
form and turned-up continental hat, buckled on his sword, and conducted
the muster in person. On that day, men were free — that is, they were privi-
leged from arrest, except for crime. They could fight, run horses, drink all
kinds of liquid hell, and rave through the county seat at will, on the public
streets and grounds, and no one could molest and make them afraid. The
old muster, or parade, ground was two or three or more blocks east of the
public square, that portion of the town then being open. The muster was
little better than a farce, and was chiefly enjoyed for the sports invariably
present. Wrestling, jumjMng and shooting at a mark were among the popu-
lar sports. At one of these gatherings two men became involved in a ques-
tion of honor and with true Kentucky spirit proposed to settle the matter
with a fist fight. One was an experienced fighter, the other was not. and
376 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
both were athletic, full of pluck and wind. Both stripped to the waist and
the experienced man stepped into a door nearby, where stood a barrel of
soft soap, which he quickly smeared over the upper half of his body and re-
sumed his position ready for the fight. The slight delay led friends to inter-
cede and the fight was compromised at this juncture, though the experienced
man refused to withdraw unless his antagonist paid for the soap, which cost
a picayune, which was accordingly done.""
Many another savage and protracted fight w as witnessed on the public
square in those early times. Election days were similarly observed. Now
an occasional encampment, or annual drill by the National Guard, is about
all we know of military affairs, in a local way.
THE TOWN FROM 183O TO 184O.
In 1830 the population of Bloomington was not less than seven hundred.
At that time the Indiana College had a large attendance and a large corps of
instructors, with a superior curriculum. Iliis institution, which was built
in 1823, was the pride of the town and the means of greatly and rapidly
increasing its population, enterprise and material wealth. The town also
boasted a flourishing newspaper, if such an issue can be said to have been
flourishing. The citizens had incorporated the village a number of years be-
fore, and this was another source of joy and congratulation. In adchtion to
all this, there were numerous factories of leather, liquor, domestic and farm
implements, flour, tailor goods, oil and numerous stores, shops, offices, me-
chanics, artisans, tradesmen, educators, professional men and speculators.
The incorporated town of Bloomington was indeed a prosperous place.
During the decade just named the place grew to one of about one thou-
sand population; the County Seminary had been built in 1835; females only,
at that date, could be admitted. The State University had a scholarship of
about two hundred; there were two lively newspapers after the middle of
the decade; there were four churches and large congregations. Merchants
had greatly enlarged their stocks and had commenced to pack pork; the
Sewards were doing a large l)usiness in all kinds of iron work; D. Batterton
Avas making large quantities of stoves and hollow ware : Phillip Murphy &
Co. were manufacturing a variety of men"s hats that found ready sale here
and elsewhere over this section of Indiana. J. McCullough was tanner and
currier; S. P. Seall was mine host at the Globe inn; William Lowe was post-
master; T J. Ryan manufactured saddles: the master tailors were .\bram
Funk, W. T. Flurrs', A. Lahertew. S. T. Hardestv. who at that date signed a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 377
schedule of prices for cutting and making clothes : all hranches were well
represented. In 1837 the old market house was erected, by citizens paving
two hundred dollars and the county paying a like amount. Here it was
that town folk went to market, instead of to groceries as today. This mar-
ket house continued until late in the fifties. A saxe-horn band was organized
and made the streets lively with its own peculiar music,
FROM 1840 TO 1850.
Bloomington kept on growing. It was during this decade that the
temperance struggle was prosecuted with great Aigor, so much so that most
of the liquor dealers were driven from the place. The leading industries were
the carding of wool, by Thomas Hardesty ; Major Kite's steam flouring mill
and carding mill; McCrum's grist mill, the numerous tanneries, wagon and
iron works: saddle and harness shops, hatters, etc. The old town incor-
poration had been revived in 1847, and the census showed a population of
about twelve hundred souls.
FROM 1850 TO i860.
It was during this era that Bloomington's first l>ank was (jpened, and
the woolen factory of Mr. Holtzman was established and doing a large,
profitable Imsiness. His advertisement in the county newspaper read as fol-
low^s: "Bloomington Factory. — The undersigned wishes to inform the
citizens of Monroe and the adjoining counties, that we have built a large
addition to our factory, and put up steam power: we are now ready to re-
ceive any quantitv of wool, to be carded into rolls or spun into yarn, at the
following prices: For carding white, six and one- fourth cents per pound,
or one-sixth of the wool. Mixed, eight and one-third. For carding and
spinning, seventeen cents per pound, if not reeled; if reeled, twenty cents.
All wool should be well washed and picked. The following is the l)est method
for washing fine wool : Fill a large kettle wnth water, bring to near a boiling
heat, add salt to make it a strong brine, put in some of the wool, not enough
f»f double-coverlets and carpetings of a variety of patterns. The work will
with water, adding a little more salt. We will also continue the manufacture
rin^e in clean water : do not empty the kettle, keep up the heat, keep it filled
to crcAvd the kettle, stir gently three or four minutes, take out the wool and
•J78 LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
be done bv experienced \\(jrkmen. We do it ])rompth- and must have prompt
pa}-.
"Blomington, Tnd., May, 1858.
"A. HoLTzMAN & Son."
The extensive mills of Air. Helton carried this notice to the public:
"Bloomington [Mills. — AVe would announce to the citizens of the sur-
rounding country that these mills are in complete running order, and would
solicit their patronage. We shall endeavor to do our 'custom work' with the
utmost dispatch. Having in our employ men of experience and skill and
having most improved machinery, we flatter ourselves that we are able to
give general satisfaction, both as to quality and quantity. We will grind,
either for toll or exchange, flour for wheat. Terms : One-sixth toll. Ex-
change : Thirty-eight pounds of flour for white wheat, and thirty-six for red
wheat, and a half bushel of bran for each merchantable bushel of wheat.
Grists to be ground we would prefer to be eight or ten bushels, or more.
50,000 bushels of wheat wanted!!! The highest market price paid for wheat
and corn. Mour, meal and feed always on hand, and for sale. Extra family
flour from selected wheat, put up in half and quarter barrel bags, and
ALWAYS WARRANTED.
"Bloomington, Ind., August 20, 1858.
•'A. Helton & Company.'"
BLOOMINGTON MAIL SER\-ICE. ■
Mails were sent and received in the decade between 1855 and i860 as
follows : "'Arrival and departure from the Bloomington office — From New
Albany (by railroad) arrives 5:25 p. m., and departs north immediately.
'T^rom Michigan City (by railroad) arrives at 10:25 a. m. : departs south
at 10:45 a. m.
"From Columbus (by two-horse hack), arrives every Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday at 12 m. : and departs every Monday and Friday at 8 a. m.
"From Indianapolis via Martinsville (by two-horse hack), arri\-es
every Tuesday and Friday at 12 m. ; and departs same day at i p. m.
"From Point Commerce via White Hall (horseback), arrives every
Thursday at r p. m. ; and departs same day at i :30 p.m."
I WVRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES
MARKET QUOTATIONS.
379
In the month of August, 1858, the following were the market quotations
in Bloomington (from Dunn & Co.'s reports, corrected each Friday):
\\'heat, 53 to 65 cents: oats, 30 cents: corn. 35 to 40 cents; wheat flour, per
hundred pounds, $2: corn meal, per bushel, 40 to 50 cents; potatoes per
bushel, 50 to 75 cents : bacon, per pound, 4 to 7 cents ; lard, 7 to 8 cents ;
butter, 10 to IJ cents: eggs, per dozen, 5 cents; sugar, per pound, 11 to
twelve and a half cents: coffee, per pound, 14 to 20 cents.
The prices quoted in August, 1913, are: Wheat, 95 cents: oats, 40
cents; corn, 72 cents; flour, $2.50 per hundred: potatoes. 80 cents; bacon,
18 to 28 cents; lard. 18 cents: butter, 30 cents (best) ; eggs, 16 cents per
dozen ; sugar, 6 cents ; coffee, 20 to t,:, cents.
BUSINESS OF 1884.
In i88.| — twent3'-nine years ago — the following industries were flour-
ishing in Bloomington : Baldridge &: Gourley, flouring mills : Gamel Peter-
son and Joseph Alexander, saw mills ; Holtzman Brothers, woolen mills ;
Waldron. Hill & Co.. spoke factor}- : chair and table factory. Showers. Dodd
& Co.; John \\'aldr(in, tanner: C. J. McCalla, planing mills: J. H. Garrison,
brick yards ; George Seiner, cigar factory.
M.\NUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN I9I2.
From an authentic list compiled l)y the Bloomington Commercial Club
in 191 2, of all industries of importance, we take the liberty to here quote:
The largest single furniture factory in the world, the Showers Brothers
Company.
The Home Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company, established in
1902, burned in 19 13 and rebuilt same season. Ten thousand pairs of gloves
produced daily, by the employment of eighty hands and modern machinery.
The Indiana Basket Company, largest in southern Indiana, established
in 1907: eighty-five persons employed; 600,000 feet of lumber used annually.
Fruit baskets, melon and berry crates and packages are the specialties.
The Indiana Creosoting Company, in 191 1, treated and shipped 11,-
400,000 feet of ties and paving blocks.
The Brown & Smith Battery Works, organized in 1907, make a com-
plete line of storage batteries, including auto, lighting and ignition batteries,
380 T-AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
telephone exchange lotteries, electric lighting service for country homes, and
batteries for electric vehicles and trucks. The ]:)roduct of the works goes
to eveiy nook and corner of this country and to many foreign lands.
The glass factory of Mr. Nurre, of Cincinnati, was installed about
n)ij. for making mirrors, glass shelving and glass novelties.
Other important branches of industry include these : Veneer plant,
harness factory, two flouring mills, two machine shops, water heater plant,
book bindery, electric and power plant, ice cream factory, ice plant, two
daily papers, four saw mills, three planing mills, foundry, four printing-
offices, gas plant, two power laundries, creamery, washing machine, factory,
broom factory.
In round" numbers, the amount of two million dollars' worth of manu-
factured products are shipped from Bloomington annually.
THK (',REAT FURNITURE INDUSTRY.
The Showers Brothers Company, of Bloomington, is one which perhaps
ranks with the stone industry in making the reputation of Bloomington and
Monroe county, being one of the largest furniture factories in the country.
This mammoth establishment originated in a small shed in the eastern part
of Bloomington in the year 1868. The two brothers, William N. and James
D. Showers, began the work with equipment which consisted of a small
upright engine and a few second-hand tools. The industry grew and grew,
until today tlie yearly output of the immense factory equals fifteen hundred
thousand dollars. James D. Showers retired from the business in 1903, giv-
ing his interest to his brother and partner, William N. Showers. The latter
is now the president of the com])any and still takes an active part in the con-
duct of the daily business routine.
The slogan which has been used bv the companv in its advertising ex-
plains well their methods. Tt is "From Tree to the Trade." The forestry
department attends to the securing of the native timber, and then, step bv
step, until the finished product is sold, the work is executed bv Showers men.
In the first place, most of the timber used is obtained from lands owned
directly by the company. The logs are sawed in a mill owned bv the Show-
ers Company and which is one of the largest mills in the state, and later are
converted into veneer in the company's own veneer plant. From here the
timber goes into the two great factories, each with its own glueing rooms,
machine rooms, cabinet rooms, carving rooms, finishing rooms, power plant.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 381
Storage warehouses and loading platforms capable of reaching twenty-four
cars at one time. The mirrors are also made by a mirror plate factory
operated in connection with the main plant. The articles of furniture are
designed by the company's own designer.
It is estimated that millions of feet of rough logs lie in the log yards
adjacent to the factory, with a value of seventy-five thousand dollars. The
veneer mill to which these logs are taken after being sawed has a capacity of
twenty-five million feet of veneers annually, and the glueing rooms make up
over four million feet of drawer bottoms and back panels every year. One
million feet of beveled French plate glass mirrors are made annually in the
mirror plate plant. The dry kilns, where the lumber is seasoned after leaving
the saw mill, has a capacity of four hundred and forty-two thousand feet of
lumber. In the finishing rooms thirty thousand dollars" worth of varnishing
and polishing materials are used e\ery year. Fully one thousand men are
employed Iw the Showers PJrothers Company, and the monthly pay-roll
reaches a total of forty thousand dollars.
The buildings which make the Showers factory are models of scientific
and well-appointed construction. The walls are of lirick and concrete, with
metal and glass saw-tooth roofs. Electricity is the motive and lighting
power, and heat is supplied 1\v steam. The ventilating system in e\ery Iniild-
ing insures a complete change of air every four minutes. .Ml waste product
is consumed, all sawdust and refuse being conveyed to the boilers by means
of a blower system. The factory is practically fireproof on account of the
very efficient sprinkler system installed, which reaches every corner of every
building. Lines of piping are suspended from the ceiling every twelve feet
apart, with sprinkler heads every ten feet apart. In case of a fire the heat
would melt the sprinkler heads next to the fire and a stream of water would
result. E\'ery department of the two great factories is connected witli a
private branch telephone exchange, and thus constant and instant communi-
cation may be had from any given point to another. In all, the two factories
have a floor space equaling an area of fifteen acres, a truly stupendous estab-
lishment. Railroad facilities are excellent, there is a good loyal spirit among
the hundreds of employes, the owners are liberal, and everything tends to
make tlie Showers Brothers ("omi)an>- not only one of the largest furniture
factories in the world. l)Ut one of the easiest of operation.
The i)resent ofi^cers of the compan_\- are: William N. Showers, presi-
dent; \\\ Edward Showers, general manager; Sanford F. Teter. secretary
and treasurer, and Charles .A. Sears, superintendent. .
382 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
BANKS AND BANKING.
Banking is not among the first lines of business established in the de-
velopment of any country, but after a time such institutions become a neces-
sity, and liere Ijusiness requirements have been well cared for by the presence
of strong, relial)le lianking concerns. Before going into the organization of
the local !:anks in Bloomington, it is well to note the disadvantages under
which the earlier business men had to conduct their business, for lack of
sta])le money systems and good banks at home.
The "shinplaster" era in this county Ijegan in about 1855, when, for
lack of mone^^ Tarkington & Akin commenced to issue such medium of ex-
change. Tlie denominations issued were for fifty cents and one dollar, and at
first were received at their face value. J. ^k Howe also issued some such
"money " This was done to facilitate exchanges, for the government failed
to ])rovi(le small denominations. Several thousand dollars of this s])ecies of
mone\- w<'is issued ])\ the firm aljove named. In a year or two thev liegan to
dei)rcciate in \aluc, when troulile ensued. In 1858 the following action was
taken liy the then leading business men of lUoonnngton, and the resolution
published in the Republican : ■"Shinplastkks. — W'e, the undersigned citi-
zens (^f P.loomington, Intl., pledge our word and honor that we will not take
anv 'shinjilaster" currenc\" after tlie first dav of Februarv, for more than
ninety cents to the dollar: and that we will not circulate any more after that
date — nor any other pajier currency not regularly chartered according to law.
January 20 1858." Signed by William O. Fee, Thomas Mulliken, A. W.
Cani])bell. Kahn Bros., Howe & Co., W. D. Owen, O. L. Draper, 1\iley &
MtCrea, P.enjamin McGee. B. S. Gowgill. J. S. Tilil^etts, A. Helton & Co.,
M. L. McCollough, Milieu & ^loffatt, A. .\dams. Mason & Paris, P. Henoch,
A. S. Mercer. K. K. Sluss Dunn &- Co., E. Johnson, S. J. Wade, J. O. Mc-
Collough
Cood money was scarce at an earlv date in this county. Pai)er bills
were in existence and were worth all prices below par. .\s the value of the
bills constantly fluctuated, the^• were reallv merchantable property, as gold
and silver during the Civil war period, when, in Wall .street, gold reached as
high a quotation as $2.87 in greenback money. Silver was scarce and gold
still scarcer. Small denominations were almost unknown in real practi-
cal circulation, save as they were created and used by common consent.
Siber pieces were cut in two and four pieces, for change-making purposes.
Goods, as well as farm jiroducts, were bought and sold on the barter plan.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 383
The first banking in the connty was -done by Tarkington & Akin, in the
fifties, and at first they issued only "shinplaster" money. About 1857 the
Bloomington Bank was regularly organized, with a capital of $20,000. Soon
bank bills, or notes, were issued, signed b}- the above men. Missouri and
other state bonds were deposited with the auditor of state, but in i860 these
bonds so depreciated in value as to cause the suspension of this home bank.
Its paper was only worth about thirtv cents on the dollar. Soon after this
a private bank was organized by Buskirk &- Hunter, continuing until about
1871, when it was transferred into the First National Bank, with a capital
stock of $50,000, which later was increased to $100,000.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK. • : .: .
The history of this concern may be stated as follows: The date of
"its organization was September 14, 1871 ; its first ofticers were George Bus-
kirk, president: J. Smith Hunter, cashier: its first capital was $120,000, same
as carried now. Its surplus was, in September, 191 3, $33,000. Its officers
are: Nat U. Hill, president: Ira C. Batman, vice-president: Charles S.
Small, cashier: Reg. B. Stull. assistant cashier. The deposits in the month
of August, 191 3, amounted to $508,092.29. This one item shows the con-
fidence the people have in this old institution. It is now working under its
third charter from the United States government. The first charter was
issued on September 14. 1871 : the second September 14, 1891, and the
present September 14, 191 l
During all the years of its existence, including the three panics, this
banking house has withstood the tide and stands today unquestioned, as a
solid institution, conducted on business principles.
THE BLOOMINGTON NATIONAL BANK.
1liis solid institution was organized October 2(). iqof). with a capital
of $100,000. which it still carries. Its surplus in August. 1913, was $17,500:
its deposits, $250,103.88. The incorporators were \\"illiam H. Adams, B.
F. Adams. James K. Beck, A\"illiam J. Allen, James -\. W'oodburn, E. G.
Hogate. \A'illiam T. Breeden and Harry A. Axtel!. The first ofticers were:
William H. Adams, president: \A'illiam J. Allen and B. F. .\dams. vice-
presidents: lames K. Beck, cashier: Samuel Pfrimmer, assistant cashier.
The first directors were AMlliam FI. Adams. James A. Woodburn, E. G.
Hogate. A\'. T. Breeden, Harry A. Axtell. B. F. Adams.
384 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The present (1913) i>fficers are: William H. Adams^ president; E. G.
Hogate and B. F. Adams, vice-presidents; James K. Beck, cashier; Samuel
Pfrimmer, assistant cashier; William H. Adams, B. F. Adams, James A.
Woodburn. E. G. Hogate, William C. Fess.
. This bank does a general banking business, being counted among the
most conserxative financial institutions in Monroe county, and is doing an
excellent and safe business. Tt is also a United States depository bank, mak-
ing it doubly safe and ]:)opular.
CITIZENS LOAN AND TRUST COMPANY.
This was organized in February, 1900, with a capital stock of $25,000.
In 1907 it increased its capital to $55,000. Its first officers were: P. K.
Buskirk, president ; Fred Matthews, vice-president ; John T. Woodward, ,
secretary; William N. Showers, treasurer. Others who aided in the organi-
zation of this corporation were W. T. Hicks, W. S. Bradfute. H. C. Duncan,
Ira C. Batman, L. V. Buskirk, N. U. Flill, Mary Waldron, Ed. Corr, J. T.
Woodward and John Thornton.
The present officers (1913) are: J. D. Showers, president; Roy O.
Pike, secretary and treasurer; S. O. Harrell, assistant secretary: L. D.
Rogers, insurance: directors, J. D. Showers, Fred Matthews, W. T. Hicks,
Ira C. Batman, \\'. S. Bradfute, W. N. Showers, Roy O. Pike. The present
surplus of this corporation is $30,000, while its statement for August, 1913,
shows its deposits to amount to $450,000.
THE MONROE COUNTY ST.VTE BANK.
This bank — now over twenty-one years old — was organized under the
banking laws of Indiana, its charter being dated Octoljer 27, 1892, by Bloom-
ington capital to the amount of $25,000. The first stockholders included
Messrs. H. E. Wells. S. C. Dodds, James M. Andrews, S. K. Rhorer, W. B.
Hughes and W. A. Fulwider. The first officers were : II. E. Wells, presi-
dent: S. C. Dodds, cashier: H. E. Wells. James M. .Vndrew, W. B. Hughes,
S. K. Rhorer, \V. :\. Fulwider. directors. The liank is located on the corner
of Walnut and Kirkwood streets, and now has a surplus of $57,310: deposits
amounting to $287,000. The bank was chartered the second time, October
27, J912. Its present officers are: ^^^ .\. Fulwider, president: C. L. Rawles,
cashier: S. E. Alexander, assistant cashier: S. \A'. Collins. W. A. Fulwider,
T. ^^^ Cravens. Edwin Corr, F. R. Woollev, directors.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 385
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
The first attempt at making Bloomington an incorporated town was
March 5. 1827 — eight3'-six years ago — when a caU was made and the leading
citizens met at the old court house. Ellis Stone was chosen president of that
meeting, and Benjamin F. Peele acted as secretary. .\s a result a vote was
there taken to get an expression of the will of the men of the new town.
There were eighteen for incorporating and only three against the measure.
An election of the necessary trustees was ordered, and resulted as follows,
the same lieing a report of the election officials:
"At an election held in the town of Bloomington on the 8th day of
September, 1828, to elect trustees for the incorporation of the town, agree-
ably to the act of the General Assembly, we hereby certify that the following
persons were duly elected : Joshua O. Howe, William Alexander, Asher
Labertew. Robinson draham and James Evans. Given under our hands and
seals this 17th day of September. 1828.
"Trulv and duly done.
"John B. Lowe, Clerk. '
"AsHER Labertew,
"James Evans, Judges."
This started out well, but for lack of unison and general interest in the
new incorporation the municipality soon died out. In the middle of the
forties, the matter again revived and we find this proceeding of the Legis-
lature :
"Section i. lie it enacted by the (leneral Assemlily of the State of
Indiana, That such part of the township of Bloomington in the county of
Monroe as is included within the following limits and boundaries, that is to
say, beginning at the northeast corner of out-lot No. 21, thence west to the
northwest corner of out-lot 39, thence south to the northwest corner of out-
lot 28. thence west to the northwest corner of out-lot No. 41, thence south
to the southwest corner of fractional lot No. 26, thence east to the northeast
corner of out-lot No. 35. thence south to the southwest corner of fractional
lot No. 9, thence east to the southeast corner of the LIniversity square, thence
north to the southwest corner of out-lot No. J2. thence east to the southeast
corner of out-lot No. /=,. thence to the northeast corner of out-lot No. 21,
the place of beginning, including all the inlots and out-lots of said town, be
and the same is hereby erected into a town corporate which shall henceforth
(25)
386 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
be known and designated by the name of the town of Bloomington, subject,
however, to such repeal, alteration and regulation as the Legislature may
from time to time prescribe."
Section 2 of this act provided for the election of a mayor, recorder and
five trustees, who should constitute a body corporate, with perpetual suc-
cession and to be known as the common council of Bloomington. This act
was appro\ed In- the Governor, January 13, 1845. An act of the Assembly
in 1849 made some changes in the limits of the town, also provided that
eleven trustees, instead of five, should be elected and simply bear the name
"Council of Bloomington.'"
The election of the first town officers occurred in March. 1847, when
these were duly elected : John Lawrence, mayor ; Robert Acuff, recorder ; A.
Labertew, treasurer; D. B. Judah, marshal; W. M. Smith, Samuel Kirk, J.
M. Howe, John Graham and Joseph G. McPheeters, councilmen. The first
meeting of the town board was held March 6, 1847, i" ^'^^ office of the re-
corder. The first act was to appoint a committee to draft ordinances.
Orders were also given to procure necessary record books, when the council
adjourned.
At the second meeting the appointment of David P>. Judah as street
supervisor and commissioner was made. The same session sixteen ordi-
nances were passed upon, among which was this very appropriate one :
"13th. No person sball be allowed to keep a dog within the limits of
the incorporation. Any person violating this ordinance shall be fined fifty
cents for each dog so kept, provided that no person shall be fined more than
once (luring the same vear for the same dog." This really amounted to no
more than a fifty cent dog tax levy. However, in August of the same year,
upon petition of one hundred and three honorable citizens, the last named
ordinance was repealed.-
About that date Samuel M. Orchard \\-as allowed to place hay scales on
Market street. Much time was spent in amending the city charter, which
was then turned over to the representative in the Legislature from this
county, to be passed at the next session. In January, 1848, a tax of ten
cents on each hundred dollars' worth of taxable property was levied for town
purposes.
The town records show that in 1851 an ordinance to tax retail liquor
dealers with a town license of five hundred dollars additional to the county
license, was, after a long discussion, finally passed. That was the great
cholera year in ndiana and other states, and the council purchased two hun-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 38/
dred bushels of lime to scatter about the streets and alle\s, and also ordered
all drinking saloons closed during that fearful epidemic. For a number of
years after that much money was expended on street and other town im-
provements, until the people began to question the wisdom of continuing
the town's incorporation any longer. On January lo, 1858, an election was
held to determine this question "Shall the corporation bt dissolved?" The
result was, for corporation, one hundred and one; against corporation, one
hundred and hfteen. Thus, liy a majority of fourteen, the town government
was brought to a close. The property of the defunct town government was
invoiced, and some of it turned over to the county auditor for some future
municii>ality, while other amounts were paid back in way of taxes already
paid in. Thus ended Bloomington's second incorporation history.
The following year, 183c), however, the place was again incorporated,
under the new state law regarding such corporations, and not bv legislative
act. From that date to the present the place has enjoyed an uninterrupted
period of municipal government. The town government continued until
1866, when, at the October election of that year, the question of making the
"town" into a "city" was voted upon, and resulted as follows: For chang-
ing to "city," one hundred and seventy-eight votes; to remain as a "town,"
ninety-three votes. But as a matter of fact there were five hundred and
thirteen voters in the place at that date, and as a majority had not voted at
that election at all, the result was considered questionalile. and it was allowed
to rest for the time being.
In 1873 the total tax of the town was seventy-five cents on every hun-
dred dollars worth of taxable propert^•. The poll tax was then fixed at
one dollar and twenty-five cents.
BECOMES .\ CITY FINALLY.
Tn July, 1876, upon petition to the council (the same signed by two hun-
dred and seventeen citizens), the call for an election was made. Tt was held
and the result was one hundred and eighty-four for becoming a "city" and
one hundred and sixty-nine against the proposition. Having carried, the
election of city officers was in order, and resulted as follows : C. W. Hender-
son, mayor; John Waldron, H. H. Voss, W. N. Showers, A. T. Massey,
Andrew Hoover, M. B. Dillon, councilmen. The first council meeting was
held September 13, 1876. R. C. Greeves was clerk; C. H. McPheeters,
treasurer, and James Slocum, marshal.
By April, 1877, the bonded indebtedness of the city was thirty-nine
388 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
thousand seven lunulred dollars, there having Ijeen paid tweh'e thousand
three hundred dollars. The city council ordered new bonds, bearing seven
per cent., issued to the amount of sixteen thousand dollars, that amount and
one thousand se\en hundred dollars more lieing then due, for the purpose of
refunding the old bonds at a lower rate of interest.
The old Pioneer I'^ire Company was re-organized in 1877, and fully-
equipped with fire-tighting appliances. In January, twent3^-nine street lamps
were erected around the public square and along the principal streets, at a
cost of se\enty-tive dollars. In 1880 permission was granted to S. Solomon
& Company to erect gas works and lay down pipes through the streets of
Iiloomington. In 1881 permission was granted the Bloomington Electric
Telephone Company to erect poles and stretch wires over the streets. In
March, 1883, the city council of New Alliiany presented Bloomington with
a fine fire engine, as a return for five hundred dollars sent by the latter to the
former a few months before during the great flood on the Ohio.
It was \\ritten thirty years ago, of Bloomington, that 'T^ver since the
Civil war the town or city board has been constantly engaged in improving
her streets. The paving, macadamizing, guttering, etc., have gone on until
all the leading streets of the city are almost water and mud-proof. The city
is, w ithout single exception, the cleanest of any in. the entire state."
What was said then is doubly true in 1913, and is so acknowledged by
careful ol)servers who travel throughout the commonwealth.
Bloomington is now rated in the fifth class of cities, that is, under ten
thousand in population. The city has about two and a half miles of brick
paved streets, and se\eral miles of excellent sewerage. The police depart-
ment is composed of five men. two night officers, two day officers and the
chief. Besides Marshal Joseph B. Hensley, there is Henry Dudley, Krit
Shaw, Hugh Hinkle and Tra Robinson. The fire department is unusually
well equipped for a city of this size. There are six men, including the chief,
and there are approximately one hundred and sixty fire plugs at advantageous
points within the city limits. The equipment includes an Ahrens-P^ox chem-
ical combination motor truck, one steam engine, and one horse-drawn com-
bination wagon. The department owns about fifteen hundred feet of hose.
The gas and electric plants are owned by the Central Indiana Lighting Com-
pany.
The following have ser\ed as mayors of the city, since its organization
as such in 1876: 1876-78, C. W. Henderson, resigned; A. J. Hoover filled
vacancy: 1878-1885, Clelland F. Dodds ; 1885-1887, James B. Mulky; 1887-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 389
1891, M. M. Dunlai); 1891-1897, L. A/. Bnskirk; 1897-1902, Arthur :\I.
Hadley; 1902-1904, Frank J. Dunn: 1904-1910. Claude G. Malott ; 1910.
John G. Harris.
The elective and appointive officers of the city in 1913 are as follows:
Mayor, John G. Harris; city attorney, R. L. Morgan (appointive): city
clerk, W. A. Wellons ; marshal, Joseph B. Hensley : treasurer, Jesse A. Howe
(appointive): councilmen, at large, S. C. Freese and L. C. McDaniel : first
ward, \A'. S. Sentney ; second ward, E. R. Fletcher: third ward, Henry Beard.
FINANCES — 19 1 3.
In the re])ort made ])y Jesse Howe, city treasurer, on September i, 1913,
there was a cash total in the treasury of $54,556,36. The records of the
city show that the bonds outstanding e(|ual the amount of $71,077, which in-
cludes $42,000 in water works bonds. Tn valuation, the water works plant
is worth about $170,000. Other city property and value includes the fire
department, with a \'alue of $12,000: Rose Hill cemetery, $5,000: and the
street department, $700.
W,\TER WORKS SYSTEM.
Bloomingtnn for man\- years had difficulty in olitaining sufficient water,
of standard purity, for the use of its citizens. At first peoj^le depended
largely upon wells, which did not pro\e satisfactory as the city grew in
population. Then came the era of using cistern water, which nearly every
family was provided with. It liecame a fad and generations of people here
were educated to the notion (possibly true) that filtered rain water was the
best drink for the people. But he who has drunk from some cold mountain
stream or spring will ne\-er be converted to tlie theory that rain water is best
to cool the parched throat and burning lips! Even today most of the resi-
dences depend largely upon the chain pump and cistern system, and in many
cases, when properly filtered and cooled bv running through coils, surrounded
by ice, the w-ater is very good for drinking piu-poses.
The present water works system was installed in 1802, when the city
purchased the large tract of land known as \\'eimer"> s])rings, which proliably
has solved for many years to come the water prolilem of Bloomington. The
water is now olitained from three large lakes, fetl l)y springs, and capable
of -furnishing sufficient water for a city twice as large as this. Tn 1911 the
city expended ten thousand dollars for a new lake and an increased pump-
390
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ing capacity, with various other improvements. \A'ater taken from these
lakes, several miles from the city, passes through a large filter composed of
one foot layer of broken rock, two feet of gravel and one foot of sharp sand.
It is then pumped by three powerful engines to the city, at the rate of four
million gallons per twenty- four hours. More than sixteen miles of eight and
twelve-inch pipes traverse the streets, giving to all within the corporation,
who desire it, a good quality of water, at fair rates.
POSTOFFICE AFFAIRS.
The Bloomington postoffice has been of the second class of offices since
1894. about which date it also became a free delivery office. It now has
seven city carriers and ten rural route carriers. Its business for the last fiscal
year (June 30, 191 3) amounted to $37,427. Its departments are all com-
plete and A\ell up to the standard required by the postoffice department at
Washington. It has the rural free delivery system, with its ten routes,
averaging a1>out twenty miles each, to the outlying districts of the county;
its postal savings department, with deposits, on September i, 1913, amount-
ing to $13,500; its money order department, doing a large monthly business;
its newly established parcel post department and all tlie modern appliances
for handling the mails with certainty and dispatch. It is now located in the
new federal building, completed June 7, 1913, at an expense to the govern-
ment of $82,000. It is Ixiilt of the celebrated oolitic stone that has made
Monroe county famous. The interior walls are all faced with spotless
marble, and the i\oovs of lire-jiroof stone flooring, while the cases and general
furniture are as magnificent as any bank building in the state.
The present efficient and accommodating postmaster Oscar H. Cravens,
was commissioned May 22. 1913, under President Woodrow Wilson. The
office force of capalile assistants are as follows : Walter Burke, assistant
postmaster; Milton L. Borden and Howard Farr, money order and register
clerks ; Lowell C. Day, delivery and stamp clerk ; James Thrasher, A. H.
Pering, David Houston, T. J. Adams, clerks; S. P. Cardwell and Homer
Hinkle, janitors; H. .\. Seward, W. L. Dowden, C. H. Alexander, S. C.
Coffee, Hoy Baker, city carriers ; Henry Munson, W. E. Buzzard, W. J.
Koontz, R. A. Kilpatrick, A. P. Blewett, H. A. Sexton, Porter Hazel, Wil-
burn Hunter, A. M. Hardy, rural free deli\ery carriers; Joseph Neill, Jesse
Neill, John Payne, substitute carriers.
The postmasters at Bloomington since the establishment of the office,
together with the date of their appointment, is as follows :
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 39I
David H. Maxwell (^established) February 15, 1825; William Lowe,
June 6, 1829; John Bowland, March 9, 1833; Barton R. Byers, January 29,
1834; Abram Buskirk, April 16, 1839; Geo. H. Johnston, July 29, 1839;
Abrani Buskirk, September 7, 1839; David H. Maxwell, May 31, 1841 ; John
M. Berry, December 30, 1845; David H. Maxwell, October 2, 1849; John
M. Beriy, December 2, 1852; Benjamin Wolfe, December 28, 1857; William
M. Tate, March 15, 1861 ; J. G. McPheeters, March 14, 1865; Tilghman H.
Gentry, May 2, 1867; J. G. McPheeters, May 26, 1869; Henry J. Feltus,
July 20, 1885; Joseph G. McPheeters, July 20, 1889; Rufus H. East, April
20, 1893; Lawrence V. Buskirk, May ij , 1897: Walter Bradfute, January
23, 1907; Oscar H. Cravens, May 22, 1913.
In 1883-84 the city council appropriated $1,000 to sink an artesian well
on the public square. At a depth of one hundred and twenty-five feet crude
petroleum was found, and natural gas at a depth of seven hundred and seventy-
five feet. But it did not appear that the products were found in sufficient
quantities to work.
During- the present year (1913) the city school board is erecting an
$80,000 liigh school building, on the old college campus in the southern part
of the city. The $80,000 federal building, built of solid stone, is the attraction
of resident and stranger, alike.
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The Bloomington Commercial Club, organized a few years since, has
been the means of l^ringing the city to the notice of the outside world as
nothing has ever been able to do before. This organization is made up of the
best, most active men in the city and is ever alert to the interests of all that
tends to upbuild and make better the city and county. Its present officers
and directors are: James Karsell, president: C. H. Springer, secretary; G. C.
Davis, treasurer. The board of directors are : Oscar H. Cravens, T. J. Sare,
Alex. Hirsh, W\ A. Fulwider, S. C. Free.se, G. C. Davis, S. C. Dodds, L. S.
Field, George H. Talbott, E. H. Lindley. W. H. Worley, A. C. Coyle, E. M.
C. Hobbs. E. R. Fletcher and Charles B. Waldron.
OTHER CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
In the summer of 19 13 the following clubs and organizations had a
healthy existence in Bloomington : The Boys Club, the Delphian Club, the
Indiana Club and the Indiana University Club : also the military organizations
392 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of Company H, First Regiment Infantry, Indiana National Guard; Company
H, Hospital Corps. Indiana National Guard ; Bloomington Band ; Indiana Uni-
versity Band, and places of amusement as follows : The Crescent, Harris
Grand, Princess and Rex theaters.
The state statistical reports for 1909 gave the following concerning the
city of Bloomington :
Its population in 1910 was 8,838, an increase of 2,378 since the census
of 1900. It is located on the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville and the
Indianapolis & Southern railways; has ten free rural routes; the American
Express company ; the Western Union telegraph ; Bell and Independent tele-
phone companies ; two daily and one weekly newspapers ; eleven miles of sewer ;
one mile of improved streets ; five public school buildings ; two national banks,
state bank, trust and savings bank, three building and loan associations ; a
commercial club; the Young Men's Christian Association and Young Women's
Christian Association ; brick and tile mill ; wagon factory ; cigar factory ; two
flourishing mills ; a basket factory ; one glove and mitten factory ; one broom
factory ; fn-^ stone saw mills ; two other saw mills ; twenty-two physicians ;
twentv-five lawvers ; six dentists; two veterinary surgeons; two dry goods
stores ; eight drug stores ; two department stores ; four hardware stores ; four
jewelry stores; three shoe stores; two book stores; six millinery stores; three
furniture stores ; two music houses ; three wall paper and paint stores ; three
harness shops ; four undertaking establishments ; six clothing stores ; five con-
fectionaries • four building material houses; two machine shops; six livery
stables; two garages; three hotels; six restaurants; ten l»rber shops; three
hair dressing rooms ; five meat markets ; two moving picture shows ; three
tailor shops: three second-hand stores; two produce stores; estimated number
of employes engaged in the manufacturing plants of the city. 650: weekly
pa\-roll, St 2.000. No saloons.
PHENOMKN'AI. OEVKLOPMENT IN FIVE YEARS.
No other half decade in the history of any Indiana city has shown the
marked growth in population and real substantial improvement exhibited by
Bloomington from 1907 to 1912. It has witnessed the change from a con-
servati\-e and slowly develoi)ed town intii a completely equipped and pro-
gressive modern city. New transportation facilities, new court house, new
buildings. I'.oth pul)lic and pri\-ate. ha^-e marked this five-year period in the
city's history. Now the cit\- is known for its beautiful homes and contented
populace. Here one finds the homes of men from almost everv calling in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 393
life — homes for the great army of workers in shop, mih and factory, for the
instructors of Indiana University, — and for the workers and owners and
operators of the great ooHtic stone industry of the community. These homes,
neatly and well built, are an ornament to the city and the talk of the "stranger
within the gates."" The business section of the place has lieen doing its full
share in these eventful hve years. Handsome new structures have been reared
in place of old, time-honored, but worn-out 1)uildings. The ancient court
house has been torn away and the half-milliun-dollar temple of justice adorns
the si)ot ab'Hit which clusters so much of ancient town history and tradition.
This building stands a monument to the thrift, enterprise and good taste of a
l^rosperous city and county.
As one writer puts it : "Five \ears have brought Bloomington many
new people. Men and women of rare refinement have been attracted to the
city by its delightful location and its exceptional educational advantages.
Business men of keen ability and foresight have been induced to cast their
lot among us, attracted by the rare business advantages here found in every
hand. The population has almost doubled in fi\e }-ears : the character of the
man}' new structures indicate w hat type of ])eo])Ie are in charge of affairs here
now."'
Is this a thing of chance? No, indeed. Here has been organized the
Bloonu'ngton Commercial Club, an organization with no selfish, personal aims,
but, t)n the contrary, the general up-building of a ])ermanent and great com-
mercial and home city, the future of which is now assured. The unique slogan
of this Commercial Clul) is the key to what has been accomplished and what
mav be looked for in the near future, "Pride of Indiana and the Center of the
Oolitic Stone Belt.""
REMINISCENCES OF Bf.OOMINGTON AND HER PEOPLE.
By Amzi .Vtwater.
Jt w;is in Januar)-, \S()=,. that 1 came to B)loomingt(.)n to be pastor of the
Christian church and studv in the uni\ersity. The church building stood
where the parsonage now stands, the pul]Mt platform covering nearly the place
where the east end of the front l^orch is now. The Methodist church was
located on the west side of the railroad neaf the corner of Sixth and Madison
streets. The Presbvterian church at that time was known as "pld School
and New School." The Old School was located on the east side of the public
square, the New School on Sixth street just west of the present site of the
Bowles hotel. While the inlluential Ballentine and h'oster families were in
the New School, the greater numbers and wealth were w ith the older organiza-
394 I.AWRKNCK AxVD MONKOE COliNllF.S, INDIANA.
tion. A tew years later the cause of their national separation having been
removed, the two united on the east side. The Baptist, United Presbyterian
and Catholic churches, when they built new and commodious houses later on,
retained the same lots they had occupied before.
Among the men whom I found leading in the Christian church in 1865
were David Batterton, Johnson McCullough, Barton W. Cole,. Richard A.
Fulk, Ellis Sluss (Captain John Sluss, being in poor health, could not take
much part), William A. Clark, Joshua Hoover, Andrew Hoover, Henry
Rhorer. Thomas Holtzman, Benjamin Smith and many others. All the
officers of that day have died or became inactive. William A. Clark was the
leader of the music, using a tuning-fork to get the key and had his singers
gather about the great central pillar or a little in front of it. He probably
held membership in the church longer than any other one of these officers,
beginning in 1846 and ending with his death in June, 191 1, making him about
sixty-five years. At the age of eighty-five he could attend with us and enjoy
the worship, his son, Rev. Thomas J. Clark, being the pastor.
Forty-eight years ago Bloomington had only a small population. In
1865 there may have been a little over two thousand people; now (1913) we
have perhaps ten thousand. The census of 1910 gave 8,838. We had the
one railroad then (not then called the "Monon," which is a later designation,
but simply the "I.. N. A. and C," which some inventive genius translated the
"Long, Narrow, Awkward and Crooked"). There had been no improvement
of streets at that time, proliably not even about the square, and after the rains,
the freezing and thawing in February and March, the wagon-wheels sank in
mud holes nearly to the hul:).
The town in 1865 was contained in narrow limits. There was no South
Park, Maple Heights, Fair A^iew, Prospect Hill, Kenwood. Cottage Grove,
University Park, University Heights, nor Allen's Addition. The ground of
these additions was mostly farm land then. On none of the streets did the
line of houses extend very far out.
The present Dunn street marked the eastern edge of the town at that day
as far south as Third street. Beyond was Dunn's woods, the present site of
the university. East of the present Grant street (all these names are com-
paratively modern) and north of Kirkwood avenue what houses there were
amounted to nothing more than mere cabins. East Fifth street (Kirkwood
avenue) presented a sorry appearance. There were but few two-story dwell-
ing houses in the whole town. I think I could go over the city now and point
out the site of almost everv two-storv house that was then in existence in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 395
January, 1865. Let me try to mention a few prominent places and their
occupants. If I should make any mistake old citizens are at liberty to cor-
rect me. President Cyrus Nutt when he first came to take charge of the
University in i860 rented the house at the corner of Third and College ave-
nue, once the Cornelius Perring house, later the house of Mrs. Nancy Alex-
ander. As a prospective student, I called on him there in July, 1861. Presi-
dent Nutt later on bought the property on North College a\enue alw ays known
as the Dr. Nutt place, now owned by Afrs. Hill, widow oi State Treasurer
Hill.
In 1865 Judge Samuel Buskirk lived in the two-story house which was
torn down in 1879 to make room for the College Avenue Methodist church.
The large building at the corner of Seventh and College avenue was still
counted the Ladies' Seminary, though some boys attended. The high school
building was small and plain. It is now occupied by the colored school. The
chief common school building of 1865 was the old tannery. The vats had
been filled up. the children walked over them and climbed the stairs to school
rooms which had been used for the manufacture of leather. The passers-by
would sometimes banteringly call the children "tan-rats," which of course
they resented.
But the chief tannery was run by Jolui Waldron, near the corner of Fifth
and Madison streets,. where has ever since been located the family home.
Miss Mattie Cherry, Miss Margaret McCalla, later city superintendent.
Miss Mary Henderson, later Mrs. Joseph Dinsmore, and Miss Belle Hainey,
later Mrs. Dr. Foster, were the chief teachers. Some six or eight years later
(I cannot be accurate on the date) Col. James Thompson, of the college
faculty, lately from the United States army, being placed upon the school
board, suggested to the authorities that the low and unsightly tannery lot
should be filled up and he made the location of the new school building. This
idea he carried out and the fine Central building was the result. The Maxwell
family had lived for some years in their house on South College avenue, but
a little previous to the time of which I speak had transferred the property to
Joseph M. Howe, the dry goods merchant, who then occupied it. The Max-
wells had moved to the farm for the licnefit of the children. Some twenty
years later they returned to town and still later they repurchased the beautiful
old home. In 1865 William Stewart li\ed in his property at the west end
of Third street. It had been known as the Governor Dunning place, after-
ward it was called the Jacob Young place, later tlie Dillon House. Over on
the hill to the south was one of the attracti\e and sightly places of town.
ig6 LAWRF.XCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
though the house was siuiply a large cottage. It was the home of Judge
James Ihighes aud was surrounded by evergreens.
The stunijjs of some of these trees may possibly be visible to this day
on Pros|)ect hill, l)ut the rare old grounds, after falling into dilapidation, have
been cut througli and divided up. and are mostly now covered with pleasant
homes. ()\er in the west part of town, between Fifth and Sixth streets, was
the Tarkington place — the residence, for a time, of Banker Tarkington. Some
of his c\'ergreens, 1 think, can be seen there yet.
Out on h'air \'iew (as now called) the front porch of Thomas Mulikin
overlooked his cow pasture. The roomy house of Zimri Worley (father of
Craig \\'(irk'\ ), also surrounded by pasture ground and presenting a mag-
nificent \ie\\, could not have been far to the south of 'the present site of the
Seventh school liuilding. 'Hie house of Elias Able stood at the corner of
Seventh and Rogers. That old man's memorv was something remarkable
and a main reliance in local history. The old yellow brick house you see on
South .Morton street, near Central school building, was the home of David
Battertou. There was one of the most honest, most faithful, most worthy
men in the town. His nearest neighbor was Milton McPhetridge.
Time and the noise of railroad and planing mill have made the old place
almost untenable. Prof. James \\'oodburn lived in his substantial brick house
on North College avenue, which his son. Prof. James .\. Woodburn, now
owns. \\'hen Professor Woodburn died suddenly in September. 1863. as
college was about to open. T was unexpectedly called lo take his place. Our
most noted astronomer and college professor. Dr. Daniel Kirkwood, lixed on
the east side of the avenue by the side of President Nutt. The place is now
the residence of Editor Walter Bradfute.
Gen. Morton C. Hunter was absent in the war in the early weeks of
1865. but his family remained in their beautiful home on the hill to the north,
ever since know n as the General Hunter place. He made a good record both
in the arm\- and in Congress, and if his health had not suddenly- failed as it
did. he w-ould doubtless have been elected Governor of Indiana. The fine old
Doctor ^^'vlie jilace on Second street, for so many years the home of learning,
refinement and old time hospitality, still stands, but slightly changed. Occu-
pied by his worthy family, it is a reminder of the g<iod man who was long
among us. Among the excellent men whom 1 met w hen I came to Blooming-
ton was the pastor of the New School Presbyterian church. Rev. Mr. Bishop.
He lived on East Seventh street. Prof. Elisha Ballentine bought the place
of him. When the house burned in the seventies. Professor Ballentine re-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 397
built it, and made it his residence till his death in 1886. The place was doubly
honored by noble occupants. It is now the residence of Henry Woolery. I
also liked Re\'. Ilopkins, pastor of the Old Schoc^l Preslw'terian church, and
counted him a warm friend.
But time would fail me to mention all the residences worthy of note at
that day. There was the fine house of Benjamin 3.ic(iee on North College
avenue, n.ow owned b\- \V. j. Allen. University Trustee Nat Browning had
the corner of Tenth and Walnut, later held liy J. B. Clark. Austin Seward
(the builder of the foundry and a great mechanic) was still living in his brick
house at the corner of W'alnut and Seventh streets, later transferred to John
May. Merchant William O. Fee was in a frame house (on the opposite
corner), which he later re])laced by his large mansion with the high ceilings.
Further to the south was the Dr. McPheeters corner, now occupied by a
grocery and other business. There was the large brick house of Johnson Mc-
Collough on South Walnut street, later the home of j. C. Worley. and the
homes of Mrs. Kelly, Rev. Levi Hughes and Mrs. Dunn of East Third street.
W. B. Seward lived till his death in the same Ikjusc and on the same corner
of Washington street he had forty years ago. Is there another instance
among our business men of such continuous occupancy ? William F. Brown-
ing, one of our oldest residents, was living on North College avenue, opposite
the Female Seminary and the residence of James Small.
The bank of Akin and Tarkington, having ceased in war times to do busi-
ness, there was no bank in Bloomington forty years ago. People had to ob-
tain and cash their drafts as best they could. A little later. Smith Tlunter,
brother of Gen. M. C. Smith, started a kind of banker's office in a building
where Campbell's dry goods store is now. Through his hands the professors
received their salaries and cash on their drafts. There has been a wonderful
change among business men. So completely has this taken place, that there is
not a single firm of forty years ago doing business on the public square. But
this must be said by way of explanation. The Seward Foundry firm is no
doubt the oldest business firm in the city and of course they were in Ijusine.ss
at the time 1 mention, Init just ofl^ the S([uarc to the north. Rev. Charles Show-
ers was running a small furniture factory at the time, with the assistance of his
sons, James and William. John W. Davis was working at the tailoring trade
down in the Orchard House at that time, and W. W. Wicks, now running his
large dry goods establishment, was then, or a few months later, a clerk for
C. P. Tuley in his store about where the Kahn clothing house is now : and
Capt. W. J. Allen, having bought out David Batterton's tin and stove shop,
398 LAWRKNCF. AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
began selling hardware soon after he returned from the war in the summer
of 1865. Mr. Davis, at the age of eighty- four, held the record for sticking to
his calling to extreme old age. Beginning in 1848, he kept on, with a brief
interruption, to 1905, as he could and did make clothes to order at that very
time, and kept it up to his eighty-eighth year. His ninety-fourth year (1913)
finds him able to go about.
Here and there a big hole in the ground might be seen in the outskirts of
the town ; here people got their building stone. These v^ould not be called
cjuarries now. Some say people hauled building stone from a distance, w"hich
thev could easily have obtained bv a few feet of digging, not realizing the
wealth that was underneath them.
THE LINCOLN FUNERAL.
There being then no public hall in town other than the court house, on
great occasions the college chapel was brought into requisition. Such an
occasion was the funeral of President Lincoln. The universal outpouring of
grief and horror over his assassination, April 15, 1865, was so great as to de-
mand the tolling of bells and assembling of the people in churches and public
halls m all the cities of the northern states. Each town, moved by a common
and spontaneous excitement, held its own funeral for the President. Bloom-
ington was forward in the patriotic movement. The feeling was so intense
and the throng was so great as to fill not onlv e\ery seat, but every foot of
standing room in the big chapel, and crowded the doorways and all space back
to the stairs. It was arranged for President Xutt to preside and the city
pastors and leading citizens to speak. Among the latter was Governor Dunn-
ing (ex-lieutenant-governor), whose home was then in Bloomington. I re-
member well how^ he rose in the crowd near the west chapel door and with his
stentorian voice said "Sinner as I am" (then he went on to claim some merit
for his present deep emotion).
CHAPTER XVI. ;
BEAN BLOSSOM TOWNSHIP.
Bean Blossom township is the extreme northwestern sub-division of the
county of Monroe, and is among the roughest parts of the county, topographi-
cally speaking. Its chief stream is Bean Blossom creek, which enters the town-
ship from the east side, two miles from the southeast corner, runs in a north-
erly direction and empties into White river, which stream forms a portion of
the northwestern boundary of the county. A stone deposit, known as Amer-
ican marble, abounds in immense quantities and this is the chief resource of
the township. Xo better stone is found in all Indiana. It is, geologically
speaking, a part of the Warsaw division of the Lower St. Louis group. In
color it is a light gray, with bluish streaks, susceptible of a high polish. Tens
of thousands of tons of this and other grades of excellent limestone are quar-
ried from this strata annually, (ireat blocks are taken out from tliese in-
valuable quarries and shipped to distant parts of the country. Steam power
and saws are usually employed in getting this stone out for commercial uses.
Many local monuments have been made from this product. Perhaps the
finest grade of this stone has been quarried at Big Creek quarry, one mile to
the west oi Stinesville. On section 3r the formation, as noted by state re-
ports, is as follows: Soil, four feet: sandstones and fossils, forty feet;
argillaceous layers, ten feet: limestone. Upper St. Louis group, regularly
bedded, forty feet, making a total of ninety-four feet.
This stone represents largely the wealth-producing source of the town-
ship, and is enhanced by the ease with which the stone is quarried and worked.
SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement here was effected by men whose names cannot now
be given with any degree of certainty as to date of coming, only in an approxi-
mate manner. The most of the lands within the township were entered by
speculators, who subsequently sold to other persons. Land was thrown open
to buyers in 1816. John Fullen purchased all of section 4, during the year
last named. Soon after this came X^athaniel Gilbert to section 15, and he
was one of the first pioneers within the township. John McCormick, a
400 I.AWRENCK .\Xn MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
speculator, purchased lands in several sections in 1816. The same year, or
possibly the year following, came Hugh Barnes on section 20, and Abner
Evans, who b}- some it is stated was the first permanent settler in Bean
Blossom township. He located on section 20, in 1S16. He built a saw mill
on Jack's Defeat creek, at a very early day — about 1819 — which he operated
for a number of vears. Jonathan Gilbert purchased on section 22, also in
1 816, and Jjecame a prominent citizen. Other settlers in 1816 were Julius
Woodward, on section ^-^ and William ]\lillikan, on section 34. Millikan also
built a mill and conducted the same a number of years. Traces of his dam
were still visible in the late eighties. William Kelso bought land in 1816, on
section 3.1., and soon l^ecame a permanent settler in the township. John Big-
ger, of section 35, and Jonathan Lindley, of section 35, were here in 1816,
while Phineas Stevens entered the township the year following. The settle-
ment was added to by the coming of these gentlemen about to be enumerated,
as well as others whose names have been lost with the passing of time : Samuel
Jennings, section 36, in 1816: Robert Blair, 1S17; V. V. Hall, 1817, on section
17, James Bradley on section 2^: William Puett, section 2^ ; Moses Slaughter,
section 25 ; Nathaniel Clark, on section 26; John Keys, section t,6. John Bur-
ton, in 18 19. purchased a tract of land in section q, and became permanently
identified with the township's interests. He was the founder of the old town
of Mt. Tabior, where he started the first grist and saw mill in the place.
Inn-ther settlers were: William Burton, 1821 ; Francis Evans, Anthony
Reese, section r8; John Moore, section 30: Reuben Loxing, in 1823: Simon
Lindley, [824: John Lemon of section 3. the same season; L. L. Waldron,
section 19, in 1825; John Summit, in 1828: Nichcjlas Whisenand, Solomon
Teague, in 1827; Henry Ritzel, of section 21, in 1826; Alexander Wilson,
of section 2j, in 1826; W. O. Stansberry, of section 29, in 1824, and George
Shar]) and Armstead Puett of section 30, the same year. In 1823. Henry
Hopewell bought land in section 33, and in 1826 Martin Wampler in section
30: Gilbert Lvtton on section 28, in 1828: Samuel Hartsock, of section 16,
was among the xevy earliest to efi^ect permanent settlement in this township.
John Blain settled on section 16 in 1830; Henry Wallace on section 9, in 1829;
Richard Shirley of section 6, in 1829; Andrew Robinson of section i, in 1826;
Benjamin Utterback, of section 2, in 1830. The above mentioned, and others,
came m before 1830,
Wild game and bloodthirsty animals were the common rule in the first
decades of the settlement of this township, bears being especially feared by
the pioneers. The hunters killed many deer, which animals found ready sale.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 40I
at from twenty-five cents to one dollar a hide, the same being largely used for
making men's "breeches." The saddles of the deer were usually worth about
as much as the hides were.
TOWNS AND VILLAGE.S.
The first village platted within this township was Mi. Tabor, which was
the chief place for trading in Monroe county at an early date. As early as
1820 John Burton erected his mill at this point. He ground corn and cut
lumber from the natixe forest trees. .\ blacksmith shop was set in operation
in 1825 by James Turner and Jefiferson AYampler. \A'illiam Ellett sold the
first ruerchandise there in 1828, from what would now be styled a "saloon,"
but also carried other goods, as well as a full supply of liquids to refresh the
inner man, as was the universal custom in those earty days. Alt. Tabor was
platted in April. 1828, and sixty-six lots were disposed of. The county record
still shows the plat and upon its face the paper has the picture of a saw and
grist mill there. Park & Hite opened the first respectable stock of merchandise
in 1829. There were numerous "saloons," then called "groceries," in which
both "wet" and "dry" groceries were carried, doing a thri\ing business here
in the thirties. Ellett & Kirkham started a store there in 1831. Other deal-
ers there were. John S. Barnes, Gideon Walker, the \\'am|)lers, John Bennett,
1835; Shelburn & Dunning, in 1836; A. W. Hill, 1843: \\'. J. Sparks, 1845;
Sparks & Davis, 1847; John C. Mays. 1S49; Parks & Egbert, 1849: Sparks &
Davis kept the last store in the village of Mt. Tabor, before the Civil war, and
Levi Kean conducted the last one there, a little later on. Posey Brothers made
manv men's hats from fine lamb's wool.
The reader of today may not know an\ thing about the existence of
this defunct place, but once it was a lively commercial center. Here large
amounts of grain and stock were sold ; here tens of thousands of feet of hard
wood lumber were cut; here the hum of the saw and flouring mills was heard
day in and day out, year "round. As high as five thousand hogs were slaugh-
tered there in one season in the forties, the pork being shipped down the
river. Tn the spring oi the }ear the water from White ri\-er backed up far
enough to allow flat-boats to be propelled in the verv streets of Mt. Tabor.
'As many as fifteen boat loads were thus sent out from the village in one sea-
son. Dr. \\'. S. AA'alker used to relate how he had made nine trips to New
Orleans from Alt. Tabor, while A4atthias Berry claimed the distinction of
ha\'ing gone to that far R\\a\ citv thirteen trips. Late in the forties steam
(26)
402 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
was introduced in the packing plants at Mt. Tabor, and successfully used in
scalding hogs and running machinery for hoisting the product. A large
cooper shop was in operation there many years, and the stave and hoop-pole
business was no small item to the pioneers, who could thus obtain ready
money with w hich to pay taxes, postage, etc.
Mr. Chambers manufactured all kinds of spinning-wheels and reels.
In 1836 a fanning mill was built at Mt. Tabor and the factory had an exten-
sive business man}- }ears. Twenty-five men were employed and four men
and wagons were kept out on the road selling fanning mills. The village
also had a large tannery. The place saw its best days between 1832 and
1852, possibly 1840 was its high-tide year for business. At one time in the
forties Mt. Tabor had as high as three hundred and fifty population. After the
Civil war a few years there was nothing left of this once prosperous village,
save the tumble-down mills and a few houses. This, in brief, is the history
of the first commercial center of Monroe county. It served well its day and
generation, a convenience to manv a pioneer family, which could hardly have
hoped to exist without it. Its only monument is the village plat record at
the court house and the word ''defunct.''
STINESVILLE.
Slinesville. now enjoying a population of about five hundred, was platted
as a result of the construction of the New Albany railroad and was laid out
by Eusebius Stine in 1855 on the southeast quarter of section 17. At first
the place grew slowly, but with the development of the stone industry it took
a sudden start and has come to be one of the enterprising towns of the
county. The first work on a scientific plan in the quarrying of the American
marble at a point near the village, on Big creek, was conducted by the Vir-
ginia Company. Samuel Brisco started the first store in the place, and was
soon followed by John McHenry & Son. Other early dealers were James
Williams, Mr. Matheny and James Shell. Later came in Thomas Riggs, C.
C. Dunn. David Miller. William Easton opened the pioneer hotel, and Dr.
Mullinix was the earliest to practice medicine. The first postmaster was
John McHenrv. Before the town had been platted, its founder, Eusebius
Stine, had built a saw mill and a small grist mill, and was the first black-
smith of that locality.
Stinesville has a picturesf|ue and interesting record. It is a typical
stone town, and the folk of the town are proud of the clean, white stones
that are quarried from the hills surrounding the village. J. Hoadley Sons'
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 403
Company and Cieurge W. Henley Stone Company quarry and ship most of
the hmestone that is taken from this place, and the business is conducted on
a large scale. Early morning brings scores of brown-skinned, stalwart work-
ers through the town, down the hill to work, and throughout the day the
hum and crooning of the mills may be heard, until evening, when the work-
ers return, covered with fine, white stone dust. The old-timers point with
great emphasis to the fact that all of the Indiana oolitic limestone used in the
construction of the Soldiers' and Sailors' ]\lonument at Indianapolis was
quarried from a hill on the outskirts of the town. This is excepting the last
addition, the immense stone groups at the base of the monument, which was
quarried in Lawrence county, owing to the better facilities for the transpor-
tation of the monstrous blocks. One old veteran of the stone-cutting trade
said : "They told me at the city that the stone in the monument came from
Bedford, but, sez I, you ain't makin' me mad, cause I can tell vu". standin'
right here, every grade of rock from tip to toe. and how deep it was under
level."
The commercial life of the town is typical of the \illages of this county.
The general stores are conducted by J. \A'. Kaston. !\I. L. Easton and R. A.
Dunn, the latter also being the postmaster. Eli Myers & Son and D. E.
McHenry have grocery stores; J. O. Van Buskirk has a liverv: the O'Haras.
of Bloomington. have a branch drug store ; J. C. Burgan runs a first-class
hotel; A. J. Collier owns the restaurant: Erank Eox conducts a barber shop;
and R. G. Edwards deals in li\e stock. The ]))iysician of Stinesville is Dr.
W. Rice Holtzman.
The town oflkers are; Ezra Dunning, marshal; D. C. Pugh. Robert
A\^elch and Frank Whetzel. councilmen ; and L. N. Williams, clerk and treas-
urer.
The Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Eellows and the
Knights of Pythias are all well represented in Stinesville. The Baptist, the
Southern Methodist and the Christian churches malce the religious denomina-
tions.
CHAPTER XVII.
BENTON TOWNSHIP.
Benton township was organized in 1833, and includes all of congres-
sional township 9 north, range i east, with the exception of the east tier of
sections which is a part of Brown county, and includes the whole of town-
ship 10 north, range i east, south of Bean Blossom creek. The township
was named after Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri.
As an agricultural township, Benton is inferior, due to the many high
biulTs and rocky ravines. There is much clay in the soil, and in even the low-
lands there is material washed from higher altitudes which is a detriment to
crop raising. There are spots, however, upon which the best cereals may be
cultivated successfully. The nature of the land, the topography and the
timber, make the township an excellent grazing section. The stone found in
this township is mostlv the Keokuk limestone, also there are found many
crinoids, geodes and various other kinds of fossils.
SETTLEMENT.
On September 17, 1822, Elisha Pollard made the first entry of land,
choosing section 34. Thus it will be seen that land was not at a premium
in this township, most of the other townships ]>eing filled up first. The
second entry of land was on section 18 by Henry Kimble in December, 1823.
Robert Young was the third, on section 8, in January, 1824. David Barrow
was the next, on section 5, in 1830. William Florer purchased on section 8
in 1832; George Richardson on section 21, and (ieorge Skevin on section 31,
in the same vear. In 1833 the following entries of land were made within
the township: Isaac W. Young, on section 6; Abram Young, on section 8:
Isaac Cox, on section 18. In 1834 Edward Jackson bought on section 8;
Jacob Calor, on section 9: ^^'illiam Richardson, on section <); David Chit-
wood, on section 10; Osaac Cox, on section 18: Henry Kiml)le, on sections
18 and ig. In 1835 Sampson Hensley purchased ground on section 19.
1836 saw the following entries: William Florer, on section 3; Mary Craw-
ford, on section 3; Jacob Young, on section 3: Rufus Ward, on section 4;
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 405
Charles Bates, on section 6 ; David Young and Isaac W. Young, on section
8; James Alexander, Joab Mershon, Hugh McCIung and Pleasant Robinson,
on section 9; David Chitwood, on section 10; Adam Stevens and Joshua
Richardson, on section 15; Jacob Mosier, Pleasant Robinson and Isaac W.
Young, section 16; Joab Cox, section 17; Sampson Hensley, section 19;
Abraham Ealy, section 20: Jacob Mosier, section 27; William Cox, section
28; Michael Buskirk, section 30; John M. Sluss, secti(^>n 31; William Cox,
section 33; Jacob Romans and Lewis Rains, section 34. In the year 1837
these entiies were made: John W. Riddle, on section 6; Nancy Rains, sec-
tion 6; Joab Cox, section 7; l^homas Gardner, section 9; William Richard-
son, section 9; Abraham Young and Joshua Richardson, section 16; James
Rader and Jacob Mefford, section 19; Adam Stephens, section 22; John B.
Cox and Adam Stephens, section 28 ; Abraham Ealy. section 29 ; Thomas R.
Stephenson, section 31; Stevenson and Martin Gamble, section ^^2: Finney
Courtney, section 33. In 1838 Hugh McClung purchased on section 9;
Nathan Hensley. on section 22 : Lewis Mosier, on section 2/: and Jacob
Romans, on section 34. In 1839 Edward Jackson bought on section 6; Sam-
uel C. Harbison, section 15; Adam Stephens, also section 15; Isaac W. Young
and G. H. Johnson, section 18; Nathan Hensley, sections 21 and 22: George
Richardson, section 21 ; William Kerr, section 3] ; Joseph Horton, section
^2 ; James Thompson and Thomas Kellcy. section t,^. These purchases were
all prior to 1840. The settlements came very slowly, a great deal of the land
being empty until the fifties. The Young family is credited with being the
first family to settle within the borders of Benton township, also the Cox
family came in early. Other families which occupied the center of the town-
ship were the Chitwoods, Richardsons, Youngs, Stevenses, Robinsons and
Alexanders.
UNIONVILLE.
The t(.)wn of Lnionxille is the only one of any importance ever developed
in this township. J. J. .\lexander 0])ened a store of general merchandise in
1836. and conducted a very thriving trade. Late in the forties James Carter
engaged in business, also C. C. Fleener. In 1852 F". R. Miller started in the
mercantile business. The inevitable blacksmith shop, which serxed as the
meeting place, a postoffice, and other small shops featured the town of Union-
ville.
4o6 LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
THE COX TRAGEDY.
In September, 1861, occurred a bloody crime in Benton township, which
has remained a source of mystery ever since. Neighbors found the family
of John B. Cox brutally murdered, their first discovery being Mr. Cox, who
was lying unconscious on his front porch, with severe cuts around his head
and neck. Mrs. Cox lay upon the bed within the house, with her throat
slashed from ear to ear. Upon another bed lay a ten-year-old girl, terribly
mangled about the throat, and on the floor nearby was another girl, younger,
with her head almost cut from her body. A trundle-bed held two other chil-
dren, Ijadh- wounded, but alWc. The baby of the family was found unhurt.
Mr. Cox had trouble with the neighbors and was taken to Bloomington
for safe keeping, where he was questioned closely when he arrived there. His
story w as that several men had attacked the family during the night, knocked
him senseless, after which he knew nothing until the following morning.
Several men were arrested and tried, but were acquitted from lack of evi-
dence. Others believed that Cox himself, who was subject to fits of insanity,
had committed the deed. This was the end of the case, which will probably
never be solved.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Lying in the fork formed by Clear creek and Salt creek is Clear Creek
township. For agricultural purposes the township is one of the best of Mon-
roe county, the country being mostly lowland, and narrow and rich valleys
adjoining the stream. The surface soil is especially rich in elements neces-
sary for the raising of crops, and every scj[uare foot of available soil is at
present producing to its utmost capacity. The geological description of this
township is very complicated, although interesting to the scientist. Keokuk
and St. Louis limestone are found in great outcroppings in the township and
in places where the surface soil has been washed aw a}' may be found hun-
dreds of geodes, comprising crystalline and butryoidal. The argillaceous
layers containing these beautiful geodes also hold numerous species of fos-
sils, some of them of plants that have thousands of years been extinct. A
portion of the western side of the townshii) is covered with the Warsaw
division of the lower .St. Louis limestone, also containing other and different
species of fossils, some of them being placed in the most complete scientific
museums of the world. From the east the first stone found is the Knoh
sandstone, then lapping this west of center is the Keokuk limestone, and
lapping the Keokuk is the Warsaw di\ision of the lower St. L(Hus limestone,
thus giving the township, at the surface, both limestone and sandstone of the
most excellent quality.
SETTLEMENT. ' ' '
Clear Creek township holds the honor of having the first settler of
Monroe comity. This was David McFIolland, who settled in the northwest
corner of the township in 1817. He came to this place in 1815. when the
state of Indiana was but a territory. Mr. McHolland had been preceded by
white hunters and Indians, but none of them l:)rought their families and made
a home. This early settler, or squatter, supported his family by his rifle, and
also cultivated a few acres of ground. .After a few years the McHollands
moved to the northwest portion of the county, where they lived for many
vears. The second settler is not known, although in 1816 Bartlett Wood-
4o8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ward entered considerable land in the township and built a log cabin thereon
for his famil}-. Mr. Woodward became a very influential citizen in Clear
Creek township, and in 1818 was elected as one of the county commission-
ers. The early industries were composed mostly of mills, of all descriptions,
and aniong the iirst ones being built were those owned liy Colonel Ketchum,
Chambers, and Shirley. Green's mill was another. The Taylors built flat-
boats and transported the first boat load of pork, grain, etc., either down
Salt creek or Clear creek to the Southern marts. The Chambers, Colonel
Ketchum and Elias Bruner were others who shipped their goods southward.
In the year 181 6 the following entries were made of the land in Clear
Creek township: Thomas Grimes, Henry Burkhart, William Anderson and
Bartlett Woodward on section 3 ; Adam Darling on section 4 : Robert Fields
on section 5 ; William Bigger and Routt & Brenton on section 6 : Fetters &
Hughes on section 7: Bartlett Woodward entered one hundred and sixty
acres on section to; Thomas Grimes, George Paul and John Musser, section
15; Michael Buskirk, section 17: John ^^anderott and Fetters & Hughes,
section 19, also Michael Harvey; Jacob Mumma and Jonathan Lindley. sec-
tion 20; George Paul, section 21; William Chambers and John Durham,
section 28: Jonathan Lindley had three hundred and twenty acres, George
Paul one hundred and sixty acres, and Samuel Caldwell on section 29; John
White entered the whole of section 30; Jonathan Lindley and Fetters &
Hughes on section 31 ; William Carl on section 32, and William Craig on
section 33. In the year 1817 the following entries were made: Solomon
Lucas, on section 2 : James Cully and Thomas Hancock, section 5 ; John
Scott, section 9 ; Bartlett Woodward orle hundred and sixty acres on section
10; Silas Woodward, section 11; Jacob Beals, section 18; Joseph Strean,
section 20, with three hundred and twenty acres; William Chambers, sections
21 and 28; Samuel Allen and John Farley, section 32; Conrad Hanson,
section 33. In 1818 there were: James Mitchell on section 5; John Storm,
section 8; George Buskirk and Thomas Grimes, section to; William Way-
more and John Storm, section 17; Thomas Duffield, section 18; Samuel
Smith, section 19; John Smith, section 32; William Shields, section 33;
Elias Brrmer. section 34. Andrew McKean settled on section 22 in 1819;
Michael Mvers on section 2 in 1825 ; John H. Anderson on section 4 in
1824: the same again in 1827; David Scott, section 8 in 1828; John Deckard.
section 11 in 1824; George Kimberlin, section 14 in 1828; Edmund Phillips,
section 18 in 1824; Anthony and William Chambers, section 21 in 1829;
George Paul, section 21 in 1829: Michael Deckard, section 22 in 1824; John
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 409
Scott, section 26 in 1819; George Reddick. section 28 in 1821 ; Elijah Elliott,
section 32 in 1827, and William Lemon, section 33 in 1829.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Harrodsburg, the principal town of the township, was laid out by
Alexander Buchanan and Surveyor John Sedwick in December, 1836, on
the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 29. township 7
north, range i west. The whole comprised twenty- four lots, and was first
given the name of New gene. Levi Sugart added three lots in May, 1837,
and for some unaccountable reason the town name was changed to Harrods-
burg.
In the commercial interests of the town Berkev & Isominger first took
out a license to run a general store in 1836, and were followed closely by
Tilford & Glass, and A. & P. Carmichael. Licob Gorman paid twenty-five
dollars for a liquor license in 1839. The early families in the village were
those of Henry Berkey. Joseph Cranshaw, Job Horton, .'^amuel Baugh,
Richard Empson, Alexander Buchanan and the Widow Cully. In the year
of 1844 S. VV. and J. D. Urmey opened general merchandi.se stores. James
Beatley held the honf)r of being the first resident physician in the town,
being also a teacher of considerable merit. Baugh and Empson were tan-
ners, also Rufus Finley. The latter conducted his tannery down the little
stream which flows past the \'illage, and which, the settlers have said, took
its name from Ro-si-neah. an old Delaware chief, who was encamped in a
huge hollow sycamore tree on the bank when the first white men came into
the township. Distilleries, grist mills and woolen factories have flourished in
the town at different times since that farawaA' dav, some of them prospering
and others dwindling to failure. In 1884 the town had a population of
about two hundred and sixty, and in iQr3, three hundred and fifty-eight.
The traveler to this village of Glear Creek township experiences no little
difficulty, as the residences and business houses are fullv a mile, over winding
roads and steep hills, from the one railroad station. Despite this rleficiency,
however, Harrodsburg has developed a commendable status of commercial-
ism and other .standards by which a town is measured. The general stores are
conducted by Johnson & Jackson, Gore & Meredith, R. F. \^oightchild, and
Sam McGlothlin ; there are two blacksmiths, those of James Buchanan and
Treadway & Crum ; one barber, Ollie Graves : Andreas Conder runs a livery ;
A. W. Young has a restaurant, and H. Bricefield buys and sells live stock.
Nance & Brassfield haA'e a general store, where implements, buggies, wagons
and general farm equipment, including cream separators, are sold. J. T.
4IO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Nance, one of the partners, is the postmaster of Harrodsburg, also an under-
taker. E. M. Lowery runs a first-class hotel. F. E. Walther owns a grist
mill, and grinds grain for most of the farmers of Clear Creek township. Dr.
D. J. Holland is the only doctor of the village.
Plarrodsburg is not an incorporated town, and there is just one official,
the justice of the peace, who is Frank Dowd. The citizens have a town hall.
The Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, including the Rebekahs, are represented with over a hun-
dred members each, almost every man being interested in fraternalism. Re-
ligiously, the town oi Harrodsburg has the Cum])erland Presbyterians, the
Methodists and the Church of Christ.
The village of Fairfax has also existed suice early in the thirties. N.
Whisenand and R. Wilson started a liquor shop there in 1835, and in 1838
Scarborough & Wilson opened a merchandise store. The old Helton grist
mill was an early landmark of the town, and was a successful plant, its owner
shipping quantities of goods down the creeks south.
Smithville was born when the New Albany railroad was built in 1852-3.
Mansfield Bennett and George Smith laid the town out on section 3 in
November, 1851. Thirty-eight lots were platted on each side of the railroad.
Smith opened the first store, and was succeeded by a blacksmith and a few
scattering families. Its population is now three hundred and seventy-five
people. Although very small, the town is well connected with the larger cities
of the county and state, being on the Monon railroad. G. M. Deckard is the
postmaster, and also owns a first-class general store and caters to the best
trade of the community. O. E. Deckard also runs a general store, and Miss
E. A. Deckard has a millinery shop. J. L. Waring. Stull Brothers and W. G.
Updegrafif also have general goods in stock. Ralph Carpenter is the black-
smith, and Lee Horton, the barber. In connection with the blacksmith shop
there is a mill and corn crusher. R. B. Carter conducts the newspaper. The
Smithville Nezvs. which is published weekly. The physician is Dr. J. Kent-
ling.
Smithville is not incorporated, and there are no town officials, other
than the justice of the peace. James H. Burkhart. The Methodist and Christ-
ian churches have houses of worship here. The Knights of Pythias have a
lodge here and, in connection with the Improved Order of Red Men, have a
handsome brick building. Plans are on foot to establish an electric light
plant here. The business houses and residences are wired and have been sup-
plied with current, but financial reasons compelled the failure of the former
plant.
CHAPTER XIX.
INDIAN CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Indian Creek township is very similar to Van Buren. The rich, loam-
laden soil is exceedingly productive, and added value is given by the streams,
the branches of Clear creek and Indian creek. Geologically, the township is
noteworthy. It is one of the few spots where the Chester sandstone comes
to the surface of the ground. This stone consists of light gray and bright
red laminated stone, ver\ ferruginous and irregularly bedded. At Buena
Vista and nearby points there are outcroppings of this stone, and in sections
6 and 7 there are iron deposits which belong to the strata of Chester stone.
The main stone of the township, however, lies underneath the sandstone, and
belongs to the Upper St. Louis group of limestone. The timber of Indian
Creek township is abundant and has not been completely stripped from the
land as in other townships. Indian Creek township is in the extreme south-
western corner of the county. ■
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The rude cabins of the settlers dotted the country of Indian Creek
township as early as 1815, but the homes were far between, and intercourse
was difficult. Among these families were the Lambs, Dicks, Crums, Burches,
Morgans, Walkers, Wrights, Mays, Joneses, Clarks, Adamses, Carpenters,
Tatumns, Oliphants, Carmichaels, Brosfields, Penningtons, Teagues, Phillips,
Smiths, Graves, Gwinns, Treadways, and the Turners. The Lamb family is
credited with being the first in the township, although the Easts and Walk-
ers, the Wrights and Burches came at an early date. In 18 16 the following
men made entry on land in the township : William Bigger. Richard Beem
and John Kutch on section i ; Isaac Withers on section 3 ; John M. Sadler
on section 6: Archibald Wood on the same: John Storm on section 12;
William King and J. Storm on section 13; Henry Speed on section 19;
Storm and Elzy Woodward on section 20 ; Archibald Wood on 30. In the
year 181 7 Moses Olds entered land on section i ; James Wright. William
Crum, and William Leahy on section 2: Benjamin Freeland on section s.
412 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
also four hundred and fifty acres in section 7 ; Isaiah Wright and James
Wright on section 1 1 ; James Mitchell, James Wright and Jacob Beals on
section 12, and the latter also on section 24; William Wyman, section 25;
James Wright, section 26 ; Thomas Wilson, Alexander Clark, section 2,3 ',
Zachariah Dicks, one hundred and sixty acres on section 34: William
Wright and James Smith, section 35; Peter Sansiford on section 18 in 1823.
Lemuel and Joel Sexson bought on sections 19 and 20 in 1827 and 1828.
Joseph Arthur purchased land on section 21 in 181S, and Richard W^right
on section 2^ in the same year. Solomon Morgan came into possession of
one hundred and sixty acres in section 24 in 1829, and Caleb Lowder bought
eighty acres in section 2j in 1819. Jonathan Howell, section 28 in 1818;
Alexander Clark, section 34 in 1818: William Jones, section 34 in 1818.
BU.SINESS INTERESTS.
The streams in Indian Creek township were not of sufficient size or
volume to permit the operation of water-power mills. However, there were
several hand mills and horse mills owned in the township, hut they never
became very prosperous. The old Hamilton mill in Van Buren township
and the Ketchum mill in Clear Creek township supplied the most of the flour
and meal for this township. There was a saw mill in the southern part of
the tdwnship. also a whiskey shop which was said to ha\e been the first in
the count\'.
In 1839. Randolph Ross, a native of VMrginia, established an iron fur-
nace in the northwestern part of the township and began to manufacture
iron. The factory progressed and shortly, under the firm name of Ran-
dolph Ross & Son's Virginia Iron Works, had in their employ about twenty
men. The crude i^re was taken from the hillside, carried to the furnace,
melted, and run off into bars, then shipped by wagon to Louisville or Vin-
cennes. After five years of success financial difficulties elsewhere compelled
the corporation to suspend the operation of the factory.
C HAPTER XX.
MARION TOWNSHIP.
Marion township was not organized as a township until the fourth
decade of the century. Before that time it had been a part oi Benton town-
ship, that is, after the latter township's origin. Alarion is the smallest civil
division of the county in point of area, but in agriculture and the character
of her citizens stands high in the scale. The land is generally rolling, the
rich uplands of clay and the stream valleys with fine alluvial deposits pro-
ducing many acres of fine farm country. The timber has been noted for its
quality, firmness and full size. Many crystal springs spout their cooling
waters from the soil, which is a pleasant and valuable feature of the town-
ship. Keokuk limestone, both \arieties. constitutes the main gi^ologiical
feature of the township. Granite bowlders, specimens of greenstone, sienite,
quartzite and felspar are numerous, and beautiful geodes and fossils are
also plentiful. Knobstone is also present, and black sand, magnetic iron
ore. and containing traces of gold. The township was named in honor of
Francis Alarion, of Revolutionary fame.
SETTLEMENT.
Strange to say, the township of Marion was not settled until many years
after its organization. This is due to no topographical fault of the town-
ship. The long distance from the county seat, the absence of any carrying
streams, and the isolation from the settlements and the traveled highways,
were the reasons for the delayed infllu.x of settlers.
It is not possible to give confirmation to the record of the first settler,
as many lived here as squatters, without anv intention of entering land from
the. government. However, the first land bought within the township was
on section 6, and was entered on July 30. 1^23, b\ Osborn & Brown, mer-
chants, who later sold the land without ever ha\ing li\ed on it. Jehu Buck-
ner made the second entry, in 1827 on section 18, and he was proliably the
first real white settler. He entered a piece of ground on section 7 at the
same time. He built a log home for his family, and li\ed the typical pioneer
414 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
life of hard work and much privation. His residence here covered many
years, and he witnessed the development of his township from the very begin-
ning. In September, 1829, Shad Martin entered a tract of land on section
18. This was the third. James Stepp bought land in 1832 on section 2.
In 1832, A. H. Fulford purchased in section 4. James and Wylie Poynter
bought land on section 4 in 1833, the year of the great meteoric shower.
During the same year Adam Wall purchased in section 21. The Hendrick-
sons came to sections 15, 21, 22 and 14 in 1834. There were three of them,
named Thomas, J. Joshua and Ezekiel, who were among the most substantial
pioneers of the day. Reuben Stepp purchased on section 21 in 1835, and
on section 6 in 1836. William Stewart and Henry Hicks selected ground on
section 2 in 1837. George Downey occupied this section in 1836, and on
section 3 the following year. John M. Thomas and Spencer McDaniel took
farms on section 4 in 1837. Valentine Hacker and G. Percifield were on
section 6 in 1836, and Thomas M. Graham in 1837 on section 8; Savoy
Stepps and David Wampler purchased tracts on section 9 in 1837, and Joseph
Baugh and William McMillen on section 14 in the same year. Michael
Fleener was an early settler of section 35. John J. Graham was in section
3 in 1838. and George M. Fry on section 2 in 1839. William Woodall
bought on section 36 in 1839. The forties brought no increase, that is ap-
preciable increase, in the selling of the land, but with the coming of the
fifties nearly all of the land was purchased bv men who became residents.
CHAPTER XXI. ■ ;;
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
For the raising of timothy and clover, and wheat and other, cereals,
there is no better land in Monroe county than that of Perry township. Heavy
deposits of silica and alluvium, some of the soil resembling the black corn
ground of Illinois, and watered by small streams and numerous springs,
gives the land a varied quality, but on an average an excellent one. Clear
creek has its source within the borders of this township. These springs,
some of them impregnated with sulphur from underground beds, furnished
the water supply for the early settlers, and saved them the necessity of dig-
ging wells, as their comrades in other townships were compelled to do.
THE "seminary TOWNSHIP."
In the year 1820 the General Assembly of Indiana, in pursuance of an
act of Congress, chose two congressional townships to be used for main-
taining two state seminaries. This was before the founding oi the seminary
which later became Indiana University. The two districts selected were,
one in Cb'bson county and one in Monroe county, the latter being township 8
north, range 1 west, or, as it was -later designated. Perry township. Com-
missions ap])ointed by the state Legislature made the selections.
In 1822 trustees were appointed to superintend the building of two
structures, one as the seminary building, and the other as a place of habita-
tion for the principal. Four sections of land on the north side of the town-
ship were reserved for the seminary, and the work was rapidly completed.
No settlements by squatters were allowed on this reserved territory of four
full sections, and it caused no little trouble and anxiety among the pioneers
who came to the county. The soil was excellent and so close to the capital.
Bloomington, which city was rapidly growing and had already become the
site of the sem.inary, later the university, that the value of Perry township
reservations became high. Notwithstanding, in the early twenties squatters
crossed the border of the reserved land and commenced to clear the land of
timber, plant crops and erect homes for themselves. The inevitable was a
41 6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
public sale, the}- knew, but they spent their time and energy improving their
homes, without thinking of the possibility of someone else buying them out,
part and parcel. They tilled the land and constructed mills as if the land
were their legal property. .\t last, in 1827, the Legislature provided for an
appraisement and marketing of the land. Then the squatters became alarmed.
They realized that land speculators and capitalists could buy their land, or
rather the land they were occupying, and by paying for the improvements
which they had made, could literally take it from under their noses. James
Borland made the appraisement in June, 1827, and the sales were made,
beginning in October. During the year many representative men of the
county purchased land there, the minimum price paid being a dollar and a
quarter per acre, which was for the poorest, class 3, land. Some of these
men who made purchases were : Alexander Kelley, Joseph Piercy, John
Armstrong, and John Griffith on section i ; James G. Fleener, Granville
Ward, Milton McPhetridge, Isaac Rogers, Aquilla Rogers and Samuel Dunn,
section 2 ; Thomas Smith, section 3 ; James Borland, Ellis Stone, George
Henry, and Hiram Paugh, section 6 ; Andrew Dodds, Emsley Wilson, Abra-
ham Pauley, Richard Hunter and Alexander Murphy, section 7 ; John Hight,
Samuel Dodds, and Richard Shipp, section 8; William Bilbo, section 9;
David Batterton, Zachariah Williams, and Benjamin Rogers, section 10;
John Griffith and Jacob Isominger, section 1 1 ; Garrett Moore, John A. Wil-
son and Moses Williams, section 12; Benjamin Rogers, section 14; Josiah
Baker and Abed Nego Walden, section 1 5 ; William Dunning, Levi Thatcher
and William Knatts, section 16; Isaac Pauley. Daniel Davis, Thomas Carter
and Absalom Kennedy, section 17; Isaac Pauley. Edward Borland and Sam-
uel Moore, section 18; Simon Adamson, section 19; Jacob Depue, Evan Dal-
larhide, David Sears and John Mathers, section 20; Robert D. Alexander.
William Davis. John W. Nicholson, William Taylor. Michael Keith. David
Findley, section 21; John Boltinghouse, William Patrick, A\'illiam Taylor,
section 22; Banner Brummet, Solomon Butcher, and James Berryman, section
27; James Alexander, William Taylor, William Alverson, John Musser, Rob-
ert Sanderson, Thomas Abbott, and James Brummet, section 28 ; William
Alverson, Carev James, David Sears, William Henry, James Parsons and
Charles Brookshire. section 29: Solomon Green, Samuel Rhorer, Absalom
Cooper and John Smith, section 30; John Smith, section 31: William Ross
and Alexander ^^liller. section 32; George Short and Moses Grantham, sec-
tion 33 • William Chandler, section 34. This sale went with a rush during
the year 1827, but after that fell back, on a par with the other townships.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
417
The land was not subject to entry in the usual way, but was under the con-
trol of a special commissioner who negotiated the sales and transfers.
ORGANIZATION AS A TOWNSHIP.
Prior to 1830 the township was attached to Bloomington township for
election and judicial purposes, but in that year was separated and organized,
and named after the noted commodore who defeated the British ships on
Lake Erie. The home of Benjamin Kenton was the scene of the first elec-
tion for two justices of the peace. Mr. Kenton held the position of election
inspector, Jesse Davis and George A. Ritter were overseers of the poor.
Solomon Butcher and Finney Courtney were fence reviewers. This elec-
tion was held on the 26th day of May, 1830.
(27)
CHAPTER XXII.
POLK TOWNSHIP.
Soon after the end of President James K: Polk's administration the
township of Polk was established, bearing the name of the President. Topo-
graphically, the township is below standard. The soil is rough, sterile, and
covered with precipitous clifYs which render it unfit for even a good growth
of timber. There are garden spots, however, where the land is more rolling,
And along the stream valleys there is a good ciuality of cereals raised. The
timber in the township, where it grows, is a rich variety of walnut, beech,
ash, whitewood, oak and other woods. The settlement of the county was
very slow, some of the land not being entered until the last thirty years.
SETTLEMENT.
Elijah Elliott entered the first tract of land on section 4. He bought
ninety and a fraction acres on December 10, 1821, but made no attempt to
improve the land or even reside on it. This was over ten years before the
first white settlement. An old trapper, George Todd, unslung his pack in
this township in 1823, five years after the organization, and bought a tract of
eighty acres on section 26, and, with the help of his brothers and a few men,
he constructed rude log buildings, for the comfort of his family. Other
structures were for his stock. The meat supply came from the deer and bears
who inhabited the dense timber around his settlement. Three years later
Todd bought eighty more acres on the same section, and also eighty on section
23. In 1831, Andrew Todd purchased eighty acres on section 15, and John
Todd eighty on 14.
The second settler in Polk township was Thomas Fleetwood, who came
in 1826, and bought eighty acres of land on section 36, near to the farm of
Mr. Todd. In 1833 he added forty more acres on the same section. Isaac
Fleetwood purchased eighty acres on 35, and in 1834, forty acres on section
26. Solomon Fleetwood settled on section 26 in 1837, and Joseph Fleet-
wood on section 36 in 1839. Joseph Stipp owned eighty acres of section 20
in 1832, and four vears later forty acres of section 19. William Moss
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 4I9
entered land in 1834 and 1836 on section 7, and Alexander Newton had
forty on section z^,. David Hawkins purchased on section 10 in 1839, and
WilHam B. Todd in 1837. On section 36, Robert Hicks bought in 1834.
William R. Coombs in 1836, and Benjamin Browning in 1837. Section 31
was occupied by O. N. Cain in 1836, and by William Henry in 1838. Isaac
Norman bought on section 35 in 1830, and Moses Martin in 1839. Green
C. Mize purchased on section 32 in 1836. In 1836 land was entered on
section 30 by both Thomas Chamliers and Natty Goiigle. AVilliam Todd in
1837 and James Todd in the year 1839, on section 26. William Newton,
1836-7, and Samuel Axom in 1839, also selected land in this section. Will-
iam Henry, Jr., and Elizabeth Chambers became land owners on section 18
in 1837 ^"<^ 1838 respectively. John Hanson bought on section 17 in 1837,
and Jesse Davar the same year, also on sections 4 and 5 in 1839. Aaron M.
Johnson obtained eighty acres in 1836, and Benjamin Halleck forty, on sec-
tion 3. Nelson Robertson ]nirchased forty acres in 1837 on section 2.
These tracts of land were in township 7 north, range [ east, which territory
does not comprise all of Polk township. 1\velve sections were taken from
Brown county by the Legislature and made a part of Monroe county and this
township. Before 1840 the only entries on this additional land were made
by Jonathan Faulks and Joshua Rejjper on section 31 in 1829. and Charles
Sipes on section 29 in 1836.
The first elections in Polk township were held at the house of John Todd,
or at "Todd's Big Springs." This was in 1849. Elections continued to be
held here for many years, probably in the old blacksmith shop. Samuel
Axam and Wylie Davar were the first fence viewers, Peter Norman the first
inspector of elections, and Wylie Davar the first constable.
CHAPEI. HILL.
Chapel Hill was a village born to die again. David Miller and John
Smith conceived the idea of a town in October, 1856, and had the county
surveyor lay off twenty-seven lots on the northwest quarter of the southeast
quarter of section 31, township 7 north, range i east. The town had no
more than got on paper, however, than it expired.
COUNTERFEITERS.
During the forties and fifties there were many lawbreakers, burglars,
highwaymen, and counterfeiters who spread over a large part of the Hoosier
426 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
state, including the county of Monroe. The hilly country, the impenetrable
ravines and thick morasses afforded ideal haunts tor gangsters of all descrip-
tion, and to make a bad matter worse, the law was inadequate to check their
depredations. It came to a point where men of high reputation in the com-
munities could well join hands with a criminal gang, and either steal some-
thing or make counterfeit money, and then come back to civilization with his
ill-gained spoils and resume the perfectly "respectful"' life he had led hitherto.
A man could not trust his own neighbor in those days. The southeastern
part of the county, covering Polk township, became a notable place for
counterfeit coins and government bills. Some of the citizens of this town-
ship were suspected of complicity, but for years no convincing proof could
be had. The counterfeiters had an underground system which could not be
solved by the authorities, and so their trade went on uninterrupted.
The increasing scope of the work occasioned the rise of companies of
regulators, honest men who banded together to punish the suspected offend-
ers. This plan was very effective for a long time, and then it was carried
too far. Private grudges, political questions, etc., were satisfied by methods
resembling the ones employed by the "night riders." A man named Bingham
was whipped one night and died as a result, although it was known that he
was an honest man. Another, named Vansickle, was frightfully punished
by a masked man in the dead of night, and later died from the injuries. The
place of his death became known as Vansickle's mills, in the south of Morgan
countv.
CHAPTER XXIII.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
The land of Richland township is typical of Monroe county. Argil-
laceous hills and bluffs, with semi-sterile soil ; lowlands, where the agricul-
turist thrives; timber tracts, which are rapidly being robbed of their treasures
— these are the predominating varieties of ground in this township. Sand,
clay, lime and alluvium are the main elements of the rich lowlands, the
alluvium very often in great quantities, thus affording a rich, yellow soil.
Limestone is found near the surface in great strata in \-ari()US ])ortions of
the township.
The oolitic limestones of Richland township are very valuable to the
community. Not only are they valuable for their intrinsic worth, but by
reason of their accessibility. There are many varieties (if this limestone found
in various quarries, specific mention of which is made in another chapter of
this book. Briefly, however, there are dark gray, shaly and silicinus stone
known as the Warsaw division. Lower St. Louis group; light grav, fine
grained oolitic: dark l)lue oolitic: the L^pper St. Louis group, which is hard,
light gray and silicious, resembling the lithographic limestone of Harrison
county. There may be found also Chester sandstone and iron ore deposits,
Keokuk limestone, both buff and light and dark blue, and knob sandstone and
shale. These beds of stone lie at dift'erent depths and are sandwiched be-
tween various geological elements sucli as claye_\- soil, ferruginous soil and
arenaceous ground.
SETTLEMENT.
The most of the settlement of Richland to\N nship occurred prior to and
in 1816, or as soon as the land was offered on tlie market. There is tloubt
as to who was really the first settler there, for several tracts were purchased
in 1816. and were inhabited. In October, i8t6. a AVilliam Edmundson
erected a small log cabin near Ellettsxillc, an<l nio\ed liis family tliere. How-
ever, he did not own the land. Later, be bought his tract, which was the
northwest quarter of section 0. from George Cutler, and during the follow-
ing winter cleared about five acres in preparation for the subsequent crop.
422 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
This is the only family known to have resided in Richland township during
the winter of 1816-17. George and James Parks, Coleman Puett, George
Sharp, Lewis Noel and others built rude dwellings on the land in the fall of
181 6, and lived alone in the cabins, in order to clear the land for the spring
planting, and prepare a home for their families who were to join them at the
same time. The families of George Sharp, the Parks, Lewis Noel, Cole-
man and Joseph Puett. William Milligan, Jonathan Gilbert, Joseph Reeves,
Samuel EUett were among those who came in the spring of 1817. John
Parks was accorded the honor of being the first man among the settlers, a
leader in the affairs of the community. He lived to the age of over one hun-
dred and one years. This estimable gentleman, in his ninety-seventh year,
wrote a short memoir of his early life, which narrative teems with interest.
He said of his coming to Indiana :
■'Soon after the war of i8i_', when things had somewhat settled, my
father and family, with enough others to make a right smart colony, con-
cluded to emigrate to some new country.
"The territory of Indiana was the place chosen, and we landed in Law-
rence county, on the East fork of White river, October, 181 5. The land
was not yet in market, but was surveyed off ready to be sold. We chose
our lots and settled on them, built our cabins and cleared a considerable
amount of land. As the sale was to come off the next season at Jefferson-
ville, a dozen or more c)i us went down. The land was to be sold to the
highest bidder. \\'hen the sale took place a man by the name of Bulslitt had
a longer ])ole than ours, and 'knocked the persimmons." sweeping the entire
settlement. Xot the first man saved his land or imjjrovements. So we
marched home, as if we had lost a friend. 1 had about eight acres cleared,
surrounded by a good fence. The part of the territory where we now live
did not come into market until the next season, so we c(3ncluded to make
another trial. So we moved and again selected our lots. (This was in the
present Richland township, near Ellettsville. ) The next sale took place at
Vincennes in October. 181 6. By this time we became acquainted with fever
and ague. T was the only one able to attend the sale, and I took the chihs
while there. I purchased tor nearlv the entire colony — al^out a dozen lots in
all. After the sale we went that winter and built cabins, on our lots, and
cleared some ground. T got in about six acres <^f tine corn, which was our
sole dependence for the year. But lo! in October there came a frost, which
bit the last ear (so with the whole settlement) ! Then we were in a fix. We
had no mills to grind our corn, so we were compelled to pound it into meal.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 423
There was one hand mill in the settlement. But the corn was so soft that it
would neither beat nor grind, until it was kiln-dried. I made a scaffold up
in the chimney and dried mine ; then I had my choice to go to a hand mill a
mile away, or to pound it."
Mr. Parks continues his narrative in a very entertaining and instruc-
tive way, telling of the early hardships and difficulties in obtaining meat.
He spoke of the Indians of the county, the Delawares and Pottawatomies,
who, with their squaws and papooses, often spent the night at his house.
Some of the early settlers of the township in 1816, the entries being
made at the land office at Vincennes, were : John Ketchum, on section i ;
Jonathan Lindley, Roderick Rawlins, Asa Osborn and Joseph Evans, on
section 2 ; Lewis Noel, section 4 ; Jonathan Gilbert, section 8 ; George Cutler
and George Sharp, section 9; James Parks, section 10; Archibald Wood and
James Goodwin, section 11; Samuel Caldwell, section 13; John Bigger,
James Parks and Samuel Elliot, section 14; Ambrose Carlton, section 15;
Archibald Wood and Samuel Caldwell, section 17; Jacob Cutler and William
Bradford, section 18; Joseph Harris, section 21; J^hn Simons, section 22;
Ambrose Carlton and Asa Coltrin, section 23 ; Christopher Eslinger and John
Gordon, section 24; John McCormick, section 26; Jonathan Lindley and John
Simons, section 27 ; Solomon Bower, Joseph Kennedy, William Thornton
and Abel Bigelow, section 28; David Johnson, section 29; William Baker
and John Fiillen, section 30; John Perishaw, section 31; Daniel Zincks and
David Sears, section 32 ; Edward Archer, Abel Bigelow and William Oliver,
section ^t, ; Joseph Taylor and Thomas Hodges, section 34 ; Benjamin John-
son and Samuel Rogers, section 35 ; Fred Smoyers and David S. Chambers,
section 36. In 181 7 entries were made by Henry Kirkham, Henry Wampler,
Coleman Puett, William Latherlin, Joseph Reeves, Samuel Hazlett, Eli Lee,
John Armstrong, T. R. Llarley, Joseph Kennedy, Joel A. Dyer.
In 184T there were one hundred and sixty-one poll tax payers in the
township, i8,8o4J/4 acres of land, which land was valued at $133,938, carry-
ing a total tax of $1,230.47. Several small mills were operated during the
early days, most of them run by hand. A small quantity of whiskey was
manufactured in the township, but several persons, among them being the
Mayfields, of Richland, and the Allisons, of Van Buren, opposed the con-
sumption of spirituous liquors. In 1818 William Rawlins and Mary Sharp
were united in the bonds of matrimony, which was the first wedding in the
township. David P. Edmundson was the first child born in that locality,
and Lucinda Puett was the second.
424 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ELLETTSVILLE.
Although at present the most important town in the township, Elletts-
ville was not the first. Edward Ellett kept a tavern at the present site for
many years before it was even considered a village. He also conducted a
rude saw mill. George Parks o\vned the first grist mill ; it was run by hand
and was very primitive in ever\' respect. A man named Kirkham operated a
horse mill about 1820.
In February. 1S37, Jt)hn Sedwick. county surveyor, was employed by
Reuben Tompkins to lay out fourteen lots in section 9. The village thus
founded was named Richland. In the same year an effort was made to
obtain a postoftice for Richland, but there was another of the same name in
the state, hence the town's name was changed to Ellettsville, in honor of
Edward Ellett. Alonzo Beman laid out seventeen additional lots at the
town, and opened a general merchandise store, with a stock valued at one
thousand dollars. F. T. Butler soon went into partnership with Beman,
having been in business liimself at Mt. Tabor. A liquor store was opened in
the town in 1839 by Jefferson ^Vampler, and in 1838 Ellett & Barnes started
another general merchandise store. Thus, in 1840, there was one liquor
shop, one blacksmith shop, one grist mill, one saw mill, two stores, a post-
office, and about five A\hole families. Others later identified with the com-
mercial interests of the town were James Whitesell, Johnson Stites, Isaac
Wampler. H. R. Seal!, 'Sir. ^lanville, S. E. and O. A. Harris, Emanuel F.
Faulkner. Parks & C'oft'ey, John H. Ree^-es, Harris S: Dean, Dowell & Moore,
and Parks & Puett. The McCallas, of Bloomington, also conducted a branch
store there.
During the early days of Ellettsville there were manv mills, of grist and
saw variety, scattered around the village. The town became quite a com-
mercial center and business was thriving. Woolen factories were also built
later, spoke factory and a planing mill. In 1850 the population of the village
was about 60; in i860, near 250; in 1870, about 450; in 1883, about 625 ; and
in 1913. approximatelv seven hundred.
The incorporation of the village was first mentioned in the year 1866,
and met with a storm of opposition. In June of that year a petition was
presented to the county board asking that the \illage might hold an election,
to decide whether or not Ellettsville be incorporated. All of the influential
residents signed the petition, which comprised a plan for two hundred and
two acres. Bv order of the countv board, an election was held on June 16.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 425
1866, and the result was in. favor of incorporation. In September. Elletts-
ville was officially incorporated by the count}- board, and officers were elected.
These elections were held for several years, then discontinued, but finally
interest in them revived, and the town at last reverted to municipal govern-
ment again.
BUSINESS INTERESTS OF I913.
There is a progressive atmosphere around the hill-bordered town which
augurs well for the inhabitants, among whom there is a very strong brother-
hood and co-operative spirit.
The town officers of Ellettsville are : Robert Digel, Will C. Reeves and
E. M. Parks, trustees ; W. R. Coffey, clerk, and D. F. Burk, treasurer.
In the various commercial lines, Ellettsville has an excellent represen-
tation. The grocery interests are managed by John M. Berry. J. K. Phipps,
S. P. Krutsinger and Dos. Hite. and each of the stores has a profitable trade
with the townspeople. Hunter & Son and Thomas Harris have hardware
stores, and Guy A. McCown runs a clothing and general furnishing store.
Maner & Williams and Fletcher & Scully own blacksmith shops ; Hollis Hall
and Charles Anderson are barbers : J- M. Rice manages a very complete drug
store; W^illiam Bastin runs a dray line: O. F. l^'letcher is a jeweler; E. E.
Faulkner has clmrge ni a lumber l)usiness ; A\''illiam Wampler and Charles
Stimson have meat markets : Jake Starnes deals in live stock ; Harry Rice
and Elmer Keen conduct restaurants: J. S. Brown & Son have an auto and
horse livery. The Ellettsville Milling Company handle the grain and feed
for the farmers of the township, and also for surrounding townships. The
stone industry is represented in Richland township with several excellent
firms, among them being Alexander King & Company, Perry Stone Company.
Matthews Brothers, and Thompson & Sandv Company. Dill &- Brown also
deal in grain. The newspaper of Ellettsville is conducted in a \'ery able man-
ner l)y \y. E. TTarris: the sheet is styled The Farm, and is a s^ven-column
quarto, published weekly. There are three physicians in Ellettsville. namely :
Drs. W. W. Harris, O. K. Harris and I. N. Presley, but there are no dentists.
The banking interests of the town and communitv are controlled bv the Peo-
ples State Bank, a reliable and accommodating institution. Two telephone
companies furnish service to the people of this town, and connection may be
had with any point in the world covered by the Bell system. There is no town
hall in Ellettsville.
Fraternally. Ellettsville has about everv lodge in the country either
426 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
represented with a lodge or else several members. The blue lodge of Masonry-
is here, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias
also, and each has over a hundred members. The Rebekahs and Pythian
Sisters are also strong here, in connection with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
There are four churches in EUettsville, the Methodist, the Baptist, the
Christian and the Presbyterian. The buildings of worship are unusually
handsome for the size of the town, and would do credit to a city. There is a
distinct church loyalty among the good people of the town, and there are very
few Sunday morning loafers.
The Peoples State Bank of EUettsville, above named, was established
February 11, 1905. by F. J. Hermes and other stockholders. The capital
stock was the same as now, $25,000. Its first officers were: W. P. Sandy,
president; F. J. Hermes, cashier; W. B. Harris, vice-president; F. I. Owens,
Fred Matthews, VV. P. Sandy, directors. The bank has done an excellent
business and now has a surplus and undivided profits of $7,225. Its officers
in 1913 were: Fred I. Owens, president; Guy A. Draper, cashier; W. B.
Bennett, vice-president; F. I. Owens, W. B. Harris, B. G. Hoadley, Fred
Matthews, J. R. Harris, directors.
CHAPTER XXIV. ■
SALT CREEK TOWNSHIP. . • ■
This township received its name from the stream which flows southward
across it, also from the great industry of manufacturing" salt which is con-
ducted within the borders. The township was organized in 1825. Through-
out the township there are many salt springs, principally along the course of
Salt creek, thus giving the waters of the stream a high saline quality. The
deer gave rise to their discovery by white men, the animals coming to the
stream in great numbers to drink. Many of the beasts were killed at these
"deer-licks,'' as they were easy prey then. As salt was a valuable and scarce
commodity in those days, the pioneers resolved upon an idea of evaporating
the water and obtaining the salt for their own consumption. In 1822 and
1823 Henry Wampler, Thomas Literal and others bored down on section 12
and found an abundance of brine. They constructed huts at the place and
procuring several iron kettles, 1)egan the manufacture of the mineral. Their
product was in great demand, and during their period of activity it is said
they got at least eight hundred barrels from the ground. The county board
was petitioned in 1823 to construct a road to the works, as the travel hence
was becoming very large. This was done accordingly. In later years
numerous other wells were sunk within the township, and the industry be-
came very lucrative to the operators.
With the exception of the lowlands and slopes, the ground of Benton
township is not of tillable value. The good soil is scattered about in small
tracts, but these, nevertheless, are made to |)roduce to their utmost. On the
hilltops and uncultivated land the native timber is left. Hard water springs
abound, and there are also many sulphur springs whose waters are of high
medicinal value as a blood purifier. Salt creek, of course, is the main source
of irrigation. The stone in the township is not quite so easy of access as in
other portions, but by persistent effort very good specimens may be ob-
tained. Lime is manufactured on a small scale, also brick and tile.
428 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
SETTLEMENT.
Closes 'Williams, on the 19th of September, 1817, purchased one hun-
dred and sixt}- acres ul section 7, this being the hrst purchase in the town-
ship; he later entered land in section 22, and in 1821 and 1824, on section 12.
Lowe and Lee bought one hundred and twenty acres on section 10 in 1818,
and on August 2. 1820, Elisha Pollard settled on section 18. Henry VVamp-
ler bought land in section 23 and 27. John Huff and Elisha Pollard also
purchased, the former in section 27 and the latter in section 6. James Mat- '
lock entered in section 27 in 1822; John W. Lee on section 11 in 1824; J. O.
Howe ow section 12 in 1826. Howe also bought eighty acres on section 2
in 1824, and lohn Barnes on section 10 in 1828. Alexander Owens purchased
ground on section lo in 1%12, and in the same year William Boruff entered
on section 10, and Jacob Stephens on section 2 in the following year. The
men who entered land during 1836 were: Samuel Smith, section 3; Finney
(."ourtnev, section 4; Henderson Myers, section 4: Aquilla Rogers, Ambrose
Miller and William Martin, section 6; John McKissock, section 7; Andrew
Harshberger. section 8; J. O. Howe, section 11: Edward Walker and John
Huff, section 15; Jonathan Huntington, section 17; George Johnson, section
18; Thomas Ferguson, section 19: Archibald Wilson, section 31; Reuben
Clark, section 27; Samuel McCalla and George Johnson, section 28; William
Taylor and Thomas Ferguson, section 30; Da\id Killough and Michael
Wampler, section 31 ; James Wakefield, section 32, and Daniel Butcher, Archi-
bald Wilson and Aaron M. Wilson, on section 34. In 1837 there were: W.
W'. Duncan, section 4: \A'. D. Maxwell, section 4: Garret Moore, section 7;
Isaac Bolingbouse. section 0; F.flward Walker, section 15: Alexander Miller,
section 15: John Cherry and John Armstrong, section 15; Michael W' ampler
and James W'akefield, section 31. In 1838 there were: Charles M. Cun-
ningham, section Tv. Samuel Curry, section 7: Daniel McCaughan, Daniel
Kil|)atrick anrl James Gordon, section 8: John Barnes, section to: Hamilton
Gray, section 21. In 1839 there were: Lankston Brummet. section 4;
Alexander Kerr, section 6: Samuel Latimer, section 8; Jonathan Huntington,
section 9: W^illiam Cabot, section 17; George Johnson, section 28; also
David lohnson: John Campbell, section 31: and John Lucas, sections }^i
and 34.
CHAPTER XXV.
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
Van Buren township was settled earlier and more rapidly perhaps than
any other township in Monroe county, with the exception of Bloomington.
The soil of the locality is rich and productive, hence the influx of settlers
began at a very early period, most of the pioneers being from the Southland,
and bringing with them all the chivalry and courtesy of their ancestors.
The surface of Van Buren township is not so hilly and rough as various
other townships ; the land approaches a fair level, and is well watered and
drained. Numerous small streams and clear springs are scattered over the
country, enriching the alluvial qualities of the surface soil. Valuable timber
at one time covered the land, but has been mercilessly destroyed by the in-
roads of commercialism. The trees included black and white walnut, maple,
oak, elm, chestnut, poplar, beech, sycamore, ash, cherry, gum, dogwood,
sassafras, spicewood, etc.
An important geological feature of the county is Puett's cave, in the
northwestern portion. The cave is of unknown depth in places, and is
characterized by manv winding passageways, stalactites, stalagmites, fossils,
and other rock formations as curious as well as beautiful.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The name of the first resident of the township is not on reliable record.
It was doubtless one of the men whose names are enrolled as land buyers in
1816, namely: Arthur Patterson, on section i ; David Matlock, Jacob Cutler,
Daniel Sears, James Parks, James Matlock, section 2 ; John Cutler, section
4; Archibald Wood bought three hundred and twenty acres on section 10;
John Allen and George Matlock, section 11, the latter also on section 12;
Jonathan Rains, John Carr and John W. Lee, section 13; John Allen, James
Borland and John Carr, section 14; Archibald Wood, Michael Wood, David
Matlock, section 15; John Collins and Joseph Berry, section 21; William
Wilson and William N^ewcomb, section 22; John Harvey, Jonathan Nichols
and Arthur Patterson, section 24; Solomon Green and Archibald Wood, sec-
43© LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
tion 25 ; Levin Lawrence, section 26 ; Adam Darling, section 27 : Joseph
Berry, Adam Bowen and John Briscoe, section 28 ; Jesse Tarkington, Arthur
Patterson and John Sadler, section 31 ; Arthur Patterson and Joseph Berry,
section 32 ; the latter also on section t,T) ; John Storm, section 34 ; Thomas
McCrang, section 35 ; John Johnson, Josiah Jackson and Joseph Richardson,
section 36. In the year 1817 the following entries were made: David Mat-
lock, section 2; Francis Charlice, section 11; James Matlock, section 12; Eli
Lee, section 14: William Newcomb, section 15; Pierre Chacurn, section 22;
Solomon Phillips, section 23 ; Joseph Gerrard and James Parsons, section 26 ;
Adam Kern and Isaac Rogers, section 27 ; John Berry, section ^t, ; Joseph
Berry, section 34. In 1823 Austin S. Reeves made entry on section 9, and
Littleton West on section 21; Vincent Lindsey settled on section i in 1824,
and in the same year Eli Farmer bought on section 2 ; John Mahala on section
10 in the same year; John M. Berry, section 29; Lemuel Lyons, section i in
1825; George Moss, section 5 in 1829; Thomas Snoddy, section 6 in 1826;
John Watson, section 8 in 1828; Robert Dice, section 9; Henry Sanders,
section 10 in 1827; William Deskins, section 10 in 1828; George Milam,
section 12 in 1827; Isaac Rogers, section 21 in 1825; Joseph Berry, section
21 in 1825; Gaspard Koons, section 26 in 1825; William Morris, section 29
in 1829: John H. Bunger and Orion Crocker, section 33 in 1829. Several
men brought their families here in 181 6. There are many who believe that
there were white families living in this township as early as 1815. although
there is no definite proof of this.
There are others who came to this locality early, accompanied by their
families, and a few of them were James Gentry, Absalom Baker, Robert B.
Givens, y\ndrew Gray, George Grubb, Samuel Grabeal. Solomon Green, Seth
Goodwin, William Gray. Andrew Gray, Lewis Harman, Jasper Koons, Felix
Landers, Matthew Legg, Benjamin Neeld, William Neeld, the Prices, Hiram
Pauley, Solomon Phillips, Rebecca Rawlins, the Renshaws, Benjamin Rice,
Robert Rice. William Rice, John Sadler. Henry Sanders. L. G. Shryer, James
G. Sparks, Noble Stockwell. James Shipman, John Shipman. Thomas Snoddy.
John Tarkington, W. C. Tarkington, Sylvanus Tarkington, Samuel Turner.
Reuben Ward, Luke Ward, Booker Wit and others.
This very small village was platted and laid out by Jesse Tarkington in
the late thirties. James Crane soon afterwards opened a general merchan-
dise store there, probably about 1839. Kemble, Klein & Company. Zachariah
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 43I
Catron, Sylvester Dory, Nicholas Dillinger, Victor Dory, Odell & Walker
opened up places of business during the forties and were very prosperous.
In 1850 there were four general stores, two or three blacksmiths, a saw mill,
several grist mills, and a population of -one hundred and fifty. In 1885 the
number of people in the town was estimated at two hundred, and in 19 13,
one hundred and twenty. The business consists of a store, a few shops and a
postoffice.
THE BLUE SPRING COMMUNITY.
The organization of the Blue Spring Community in Monroe county in
1826 was the result of a movement which extended over the whole of the
United States. In this country, during the years from 1820 to i860, there
was much dissatisfaction in the educational and moral svstems in vogue for
the development of a community. Accordingly people began to co-operate, to
form groups and consolidate their wealth and influence to promote a better
system of teaching. They would live together, work together and eat to-
gether, and were controlled by a common set of by-laws and a constitution.
Such eminent men as Horace Greeley, Charles Fourier and the Owens of
Posey county, Indiana, were in sympathy with the scheme and used their
efforts to build up these communities in every part of the country.
In Monroe county the members of the newly-formed community as-
sembled at a place later called Harmony. They built their homes, placed
their property in common, built a few stores, and erected an excellent school,
all on a public square. Despite the abuse and ridicule they were subjected to
by their neighbors, the first year was very successful. Their ideals were
high and their intentions were of the best, but the inevitable was bound to
creep in. No matter how a community may be formed, such familiarity will
lead to trouble, caused probably by one or more individuals. When the bitter
winds of winter commenced to sweep down on the gathering, many returned
to their former homes. The spring of 1827 came, but a continuation of the
community was abandoned. Such is the frailty of human nature.
CHAPTER XXVI.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
In the year 1829 Washington township was originated, and named after
George Washington, the first President of the United States. It is a full
congressional township, comprising thirty-six sections, and is township 10
north, range i west, of the second principal meridian, and is one of the four
townships of Monroe county which is crossed by the old Indian boundary.
This boundary was drawn at the treaty between the Indians and Gen. Will-
iam Henry Harrison at Fort Wayne, on September 30, 1809, at which time
all of Washington township, and all of Monroe county south of the boundary,
was received from the tribes. The north portion of this township was in-
cluded in what was termed the ''New Purchase," and was ceded to the gov-
ernment by the Indians at the treaty of St. Mary's, Ohio, on October 3, 1818.
This land north of the boundary was not open to entry until all Indian title
had ceased, and the ground had been surveyed by Thomas Brown in the
summer of 1819. William Harris and Arthur Henrie surveyed the land
south of the boundary in 1812, and it was opened for entry in 1816.
The timber of the township was of excellent quality. Red. black, white
and chestnut oaks, black and white walnut, maple, poplar, cherry, chestnut,
bech, elm, hickory, sycamore, sassafras, dog wood and gum trees con-
stituted the forests of the township. Knob stone and the Keokuk groups
were the main rock beds of the locality, and excellent specimens of these
stones were shipped in large numbers. Traces may be found also of the
great glacier which swept down from the north eons ago. Fossils of all
kinds, crinoids and geodes are in the deposits in various places in the town-
ship.
SETTLEMENT.
Within the borders of the present Washington township the first pur-
chase of land was made on September 12, 1817, by James Bennington.
He made the deal at the land office in Vincennes, while Monroe county was
yet a portion of Orange county. His purchase included the northwest quarter
of the southwest quarter and the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 433
of section 30, township 10 north, range i west of the second principal meri-
dian. John Patterson bought the second tracts in the township on August 11,
1823, the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter, and the southwest
quarter of the southeast quarter of section 31. The third entry was by Hugh
Corr on section 14, on January 30, 1824. Andrew Smith, on section 6, and
Jehu Buckner, on section 12, were purchases made in 1826. Samuel Gaskins
purchased eighty acres of section 28 in 1827, and Lee Brown equaled his pur-
chase in the same section on the following year. Other settlers during the
days of formation were: William and J. Millikan, section 30 in 1828; John
Turner, section 33, in^ October, 1829. and in the same year Wylie Burns,
section 13, and Richard Colier, section 3; Isaac Gillaspy, section 34 in 1830;
Robert Walters and Jehu Buckner, section 28, and John Weaver, section 5,
in 1831 ; Thomas J. Nance bought land on section 3 in 1832; John Bales,
section 12; James Mulky, section 29; Allen Sims, section 32; John Turner,
section 33, and A. B. Anderson. In 1833 came Goalson Steppe, on section 2 ;
John Weaver and Andrew Smith, section 5; Job Johnson, section 14; John
Neal, section 17: John Bales, section 19: William McNeely. section 29; Henry
Putman, section 31. In 1834 were Jehu Buckner, section 3; John Neal,
section 17; Thomas Gillaspy, section 21; James Gaskins, section 28: David
Paddock, section 28; Lee Brown, section 32; Isaac Gillaspy, section 33;
Andrew S. Tate, also of section 33; Benjamin Marsh'all, on section 34; 1835
witnessed the following entries; T0I1 Jolinson. section [4; William Gas-
kins. section 29: Daniel Rav, section 29; Kmslev ^^^ood, section 31; Allen
Sims, section 31 ; and Daniel Ray. section t,t,. Numerous entries were made
in 1836. and they were : Jeremiah and Levi Colier, William Tate and William
Carlton on section 16; Richard Colier, section ly. Solomon Langwell, sec-
tion 18; Benoni Denny and William Carlton, section 19; Alexander W. Le-
land, section 19; Stephen Gaskins, section 29; William Scott, William Mc-
Neely and William Carlton, also on section 29; Alexander W. Leland, section
30, in 1836; Emsley Wood and Jacob Millikan. section 31; .\. W. Leland
and A. M. Poe, section 32: Solomon Langwell and A. B. Anderson, section
33. William Scott entered land in section 16 in 1837, Washington Smith
on section 33, and David Browning on section 34 in the same year. Caleb
Colier bought on the school section in 1838, Benjamin Ridge, section 31. and
Isaac Gillaspy and William Scott, section 34. Thomas Gillaspy bought on
section 16 in 1839. These entries were all made prior to 1840 and were those
of the earliest settlers. The government land was rapidly taken up after-
ward, in the forties and fifties.
(28)
434 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Wayport and Hindostan are the two villages which have been founded
in Washington township. The former was laid out in April, 185 1, on sec-
tions 28 and ;^2' ^Y Isaac Gillaspy. Thomas Gillaspy, and G. W. Smith, pro-
prietors, and James Washburn, surveyor. Sixteen lots comprised the town.
One store, a postoffice, a blacksmith shop are about all the town had.
Hindostan was laid out on the northeast quarter of the northeast quar-
ter of section 14, in June, 1853, by Charles G. Corr, proprietor, and James
Woodburn, surveyor. Twelve lots were laid out on the line of the Martins-
ville and Bloomington state road, and just north of the Columbus and Gos-
port state road. The industries were on a par -with those of Wayport.
CHAPTER XIII. ...•;...
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AND INCIDENTS. r- .:. ; . .
Under this caption are given many interesting items of local history
which do not seem to appropriately fit into other regular chapters of this
volume, but are invaluable in the annals of Monroe county and the city of
Bloomington.
VILLAGE PLATS OF MONROE COUNTY. ,
The subjoined is a list of the various original plats for villages within
this county. Some of these have long since become defunct :
Bloomington. — June 22, 181 8, by Benjamin Parks, agent for the county.
The public square was described as being two hundred and seventy-six feet
each way. The associate judges who acknowledged the surve\' were Hons.
Lewis Noel and Jonathan Nichols.
Chanlersville was platted February 25, 1893, by J. II. Louden. William
P. Rogers and H. Henle}-, on the north part of the east half of the west half
of the southwest quarter of section 2Q. township 9, range i west.
Chapel Hill was platted October ii, 1856. on the northwest quarter of
the southeast quarter of section 31, township 7. range i east, by David Mil-
ler and John Smith.
Ellettsville (or Richland). — On the northeast quarter of section 7, town-
ship 7, range 2 west. Februarv 13. 1837, bv Reuben Tompkins.
Fairfax. — On the east half of the southeast quarter of section 26, town-
ship 7, range i. by Z. Long and his wife, ]\Iahala Long. -
Friendship was platted October 19. 1857, by James Fleener, on section
21. township 8. range i east.
Fleenersburo- fL^nionville now) was platted on the southwest corner of
the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 0, township 9, range
I east, June 5, 1847, l^y Nicholas Fleener.
Harrodsburg (originally known as Newgene) was platted on the north-
east quarter of the southwest quarter of section 20. township 7, range i west,
December 16, 1836, by Alexander Buchaimon. It was re-platted Mav 22
and 23, 1866.
43^ LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Hindostan was platted August i8, 1853, on the northeast quarter of the
northeast quarter of section 14, township 10, range i west, by Charles G.
Carr.
Hinsonburg, situated on the northeast quarter of section 31, township
9, range i west, by James and Caroline Hinson, Riley Sanders and William
E. Buzzard, September 24, 1892.
Limestone (now Sanders) was platted in Perry township, by Newell
and Carinne Sanders, July 14, 1892, on the west half of the southwest quarter
of section 34, township 8, range i west.
Mt. Tabor was platted April 21, 1828.
Oolitic was platted by the Oolitic Stone Company, on the east half of
the southeast quarter of section 33. and the west half of the southwest
quarter of section 34, township 8, range i west.
Palestine was platted February 17. 1845, by Thomas Shipman, in town-
ship 7 north, of range 2, and is now defunct.
Rock Castle, in the west half of ihe west half of the southwest quarter
of section 29, township 9, range i west, by Gilbert Perry, Henry Perry. Fred
Mathews. V/. H. Wicks and others, July 20. 1872.
Smithville was platted November 26. 1851, on the northeast quarter of
the southwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of
section 3, township 7, range i west, by Mansfield Bennett and George Smith.
Stanford was platted July 29. 1838, by H. A. Tarkington.
Stinesville, platted April 5. 1855. on the southeast quarter of section 17,
township 10, range 2 west, by Ensebieus Stine.
Unionville, same as old Fleenersburg.
Wayport, platted April 12, 1851, on sections 28 and 33. all in township
ID. range i west, by Isaac Gillaspy. George Smith and wives.
POPULATION.
The population of Monroe county in 1820 was 2,679; ^^^ 1830- it was
6,577; ii'' 1840, 10,143; in 1850 had reached 11,286; in i860 it was 12.847;
in 1870 it was 14,168; in 1880, 15,875; in 1890, 17,673; in 1900 it was
20,873 'i"<^ i" 1 9 TO it had reached 23,426, an increase of about twelve per
cent, in the ten years between 1900 and 1910.
By townships and towns and cities, the following population was given
in the United States census reports for the years 1900 and 1910:
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 437
1900. I91O.
Bean Blossom township and Stinesville 1.466 1,761
Stinesville (town of) 288 499
Benton township 1,114 962
Bloomington township and part of city 5,899 7-354
City (part of) 4,949 5-952
Total Bloomington City 6,460 8,338
Clear Creek township 1,618 1,713
Indian Creek township 927 860
Marion township 506 365
Perry township and part of city Bloomington 3,443 4,97©
Polk township 1.103 1.054
Richland township and part Ellettsville 1.565 1,578
Ellettsville, town of 708 676
Salt Creek township 927 855
Van Bnren township 1,210 i,i53
Washington township 1,095 ly^
Total 20,873 23,426
VILLAGE, TOWN AND CITY POPULATION I9IO.
Bloomington, 8,838; Br3^ant Creek, 149; Buena Vista, 75; Chapel Hill,
12; Clear Creek, 94; Cortelyou, 47; Ellettsville, 676; Fairfax, 25; Fleener,
20; Gable. 6; Godsey, 23; Harrodsburg, 358; Kirksville, 75; Lemons, 15;
Payne, 50; Smithville, 375; Stanford, 120; Southern, 25; Stinesville. 497;
Todd, 24; Unionville, 125; Victor, 75: Yellowstone, 15.
THE OLD settlers' SOCIETY.
The first steps to organize an old settlers' society were taken in 1852,
when a call was issued at Bloomington for a public meeting. However, this
meeting was not held, and nothing further was done until 1857, at which
time an old settlers' society was formed. The Republican of Bloomington
had the following notice in regard to it :
OLD settlers' meeting.
"In pursuance of previous notice for an old settlers' meeting, quite a
large number of the old gray-headed fathers and pioneers of Monroe county
438 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
met in mass at the court house in the town of Bloomington, on Monday, the
26th day of April, 1S57, for the purpose of organizing a society to be called
the Old Settlers' Society, and make suitable arrangements for its permanent
organization. The meeting was called to order. On motion of Matthew
M. Campbell, Jacob B. Lowe was called to the chair, and Marton C. Hunter
appointed secretary. Colonel Campbell, of Washington tow'nship, moved
that a committee of five be appointed by the chair to make all necessary
arrangements for an old settlers' meeting on the 4th of July next. Prof.
M. yi. Campbell moved to amend the motion by striking out the word 'five'
and inserting "one frouT each township in Monroe county", which amendment
was accepted by Colonel Campbell, and the motion as amended passed.
Whereupon the chair appointed the following gentlemen to serve as said
committee: Colonel Campbell, of \\'ashington township; John Hubbard, of
Marion: David Barrow-, of Benton; James P. Ellis, of Salt Creek; John
Hanson, of Polk ; Colonel Kelcham, of Clear Creek ; Joseph S. Walker, of
Indian Creek; M. M. Camp1;)ell. of Perry; Ellis Stone, of Van Buren ; Judge
Reeves, of Richland; James V. Buskirk, of Bean Blossom; Elias Abel, of
Bloomington township. To which was added Paris C. Dunning and Austin
Seward. Eli P. Earmer, of Richland township, moved that twenty-five
years' residence in Monroe county entitle a man to menil)ership. George
A. Buskirk, Esq., mewed to amend the motion by requiring each member to
be fifty years old, and have resided in the county thirty years, w^hich amend-
ment, was accepted by Mr. Earmer. The motion as amended pa.ssed. Samuel
H. Buskirk, Esq., moved that a committee of nine be appointed to make all
suitable arrangements for the meeting of the old settlers on the 4th of July,
and to prepare refreshments for the occasion. The chair appointed the fol-
lowing gentlemen such committee : Samuel H. Buskirk, E. T. Butler, P. L.
D. Mitchell, Jesse T. Cox, William Ward. Aquilla W. Rogers, William C.
Sadler, Col. E. Gentry, George A. Buskirk. The object of organizing the
Old Settlers' Society is, that the old gray-headed fathers may be .called to-
gether at stated periods for the purpose of enjoying a social -i;epa^t with each
other, and in their own way entertain the meeting by the narj-ation of anec-
dotes, as .well as the hardships and perilous scenes that transpired during the
early settling of this country, in the planting of civilization, clearing up of
the lands, and subduing the red man of the forest, as also the dangers, perils
and hardships of the war of 1812, that the rising generation may be kept in
remembrance of the debt of gratitude that is due from them to their pioneer
fathers for the blessings they now enjoy, and that the pen of the historian
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 439
may record those scenes for the benefit of generations that may come after
us. All will therefore come prepared to narrate the various incidents that
came under their observation. The various committees above named will
meet at Bloomington on Saturday, the 19th day of June, to make all neces-
sary arrangements for the meeting, which is to take place on the 4th of July
next. No committeeman should fail to attend. On motion, the proceed-
ings were ordered to be published in the Bloomington Republican. On mo-
tion adjourned.
"Morton C. Hunter^ Gen. Jacob B. Lowe,
"Secretary. President."
On the 4th of July there was held a meeting, but no adequate record was
kept of the happenings, hence the incident cannot be described. It is true,
however, that great crowds of people were in town, and a big dinner given to
the old people.
The second meeting of the old settlers occurred on September 17, 1858,
and the Republican said of it :
"Pursuant to prexious notice, the old settlers of Monroe county met at
the court house, in the town of Bloomington, on the 17th day of September,
1858. The meeting was organized by calling Col. John Ketcham to the chair,
and appointing Milton McPhetridge, secretary. The proceedings of the
meeting were opened by an appropriate prayer by the Rev. Eli P. Farmer.
"On motion of Austin Seward. Benjamin F. Rogers was admitted to all
the rights and privileges of the old settlers, he being forty years of age and
the hrst white male child born in the county.
"The chairman requested every person who was fifty years old. and up-
ward, and who had resided in the county thirty years, to come forward and
have their names, ages and places of nativity registered, whereupon eighty-
eight came forward and were duly registered.
"General Lowe, who was selected by the committee of arrangements
to deliver an address, not being present, Rev. Eli P. Farmer was called upon,
and addressed the meeting in a brief, appropriate speech, detailing many
interesting incidents connected with the early settling of the county. He
was followed by Col. John Ketcham, M. M. Campbell. John M. Saddler.
James V. Buskirk, Rev. Solomon Lucas, and others, each giving an account
of his trials and hardships in the settling of the county, and of their bear,
, wolf, deer and panther hunts, many of which were truly amusing, and were
listened to with much interest, not only by the old settlers;, but by a large num-
ber of citizens who had assembled on the occasion.
440 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
"On motion of Air. McCollough, it was resolved that the next annual
meeting of the old settlers be held at the same place on the 17th day of
September, 1859, and that each member bring his wife, and those that have
none are requested to get one, or bring a widow ; also, that all old settlers
who have not registered their names are requested to do so previous to the
next meeting; and, on further motion of Mr. McCollough, Col. John Ketcham
was appointed chairman, and Milton McPhetridge secretary, to serve until
the next annual meeting.
"At half-past one o'clock, a procession was formed, and after marching
around the public square, the old settlers, with many others, repaired to
'Young's House," and sat down to a sumptuous dinner prepared by mine host,
Jacob Young. The tables were well filled with everything necessary to satisfy
the most fastidious.
"The best kind of feeling prevailed throughout the day, no incident oc-
curring to mar the harmony of the meeting. After dinner was over, the old
men got together, in groups, and talked over bygone scenes. All seemed to
enjoy themselves, and will long remember the happy meeting of this day.
The company dispersed at a late hour without any formal adjournment.
"Places of nativity: Kentucky, 30; Virginia, 24; North Carolina, 10;
Tennessee, 8; Maryland, 6; Pennsylvania, 4: Indiana, 3: Ohio, i; Vermont,
I : Delaware, i .
"By order of the committee of arrangements.
"John Kjetcham, Chairman.
"Milton McPhetridge, Secretary."
Meetings were held annually after this until the opening of the Civil
war, when they were discontinued. In 1866 the society was reorganized and
held meetings until 1870, when it was joined to the district society at Gosport,
This alliance had short life, and soon the old society was reformed. Its exist-
ence since had been of \'arying quality, and at no time has an adequate record
been kept of the meetings and what transpired therein.
Ellettsville formed an independent society of old settlers in 1878, and
the following are the minutes of the first meeting :
"Minutes of old settlers' meeting, held in Worley's Grove, Ellettsville,
September 26, 1878.
"In honor to Uncle Jimmy Parks, this being his ninety-seventh birthday.
At eleven, there were about three thousand people on the ground, and the
exercises proceeded as follows : i — A song by congregation, "Sweet Bye and
Bve." 2 — Prayer by Rev. E. P. Farmer. 3 — Music by Old Band. 4 —
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 44I
Song by all over seventy years of age ; song, '"Jesus. Lover of My Soul." 5 —
Elected D. Byers, president; William McNutt, secretary. 6 — Speech by
James Parks, Sr. 7 — The autobiography of James Parks, read by Elder R.
Parks. 8 — Music by New Band, followed by Old Band. 10 — Short speeches
by all over eight}-. Robert Graham, E. P. Farmer, J. Canipliell, Elias Abel
and L. Walden participated, i r — A. W. Reeves, master of ceremonies, an-
nounced dinner. Adjournment. 2 P. M. : i — Music by Old Band. 2 —
Speeches by all over seventy years old called for. A. Mills, of Spencer, ad-
dressed the meeting. 3 — Music by Hoadley String Band. 4 — Speech by
David Byers. who made a very appropriate speech, and thanked the people for
conferring upon him the office of president. Then came to the front Abra-
ham Henry dressed in ancient style, with a bark-colored scissor-tailed coat,
with an enormous collar which made his head lean slightly forward. He
made us a good speech, producing a splendid sensation. 5 — Song by the
Galloway family, "The Old Hearth Stone." This was an excellent piece, and
was well performed. 6 — Speeches by J. Manis and R. M. Parks were next.
7 — Closing speech by Rev. S. C. Kennedy, presenting a wreath of beautiful
flowers to Mr. Parks and wife, as an emblem of honesty and beauty, imsur-
passed by the arts of men.
'"Some relics were exhibited by the Rev. G. N. Puett and Johnson Sharp,
calling the mind back to years gone by. Ordered the secretary to publish
the minutes of the meeting in the Sun, requesting other cotinty papers to
copy. Adjourned to meet at this place on the 26th of September, 1879.
Benediction by R. M. Parks."
With the departure of the sturdy old pioneer sentiment, and the endless
number of attractions on every hand, for the rising generations most of the
'"old settlers' societies" have gone the way of all the earth. But few such
societies and meetings have been held of recent years, and it is to be regretted,
for such organizations are beneficial to society, and they ought to be revived,
at once, before the last vestige of pioneer sentiment is forever lost to the
community. Other counties and sections keep alive these meetings and they
are looked forward to annually with great enthusiasm by both old and young.
THE MONROE COUNTY. INDIANA, HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Monroe County, Indiana, Historical Society was organized at
Bloomington on March 21, 1905, with the following officers: Amzi Atwater,
president; James A. Woodburn, secretary; Dudley F. Smith, treasurer;
Samuel B. Harding, Minnie B. Ellis and Henry C. Duncan, advisorr members.
442 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The purpose of the society, as stated in the constitution, is "to promote
the study and preservation of local history; to discover, collect and preserve,
and, wlien practicable, to publish historical facts pertaining to the history of
this county and community ; to collect and preserve books, pamphlets, maps,
pictures, relics, manuscripts, letters, journals, field-books, family records and
other matter on local history." The meetings of the society were first held
on the third Friday of each month in the lecture room of the Kirkwood Ave-
nue Christian church.
The society has continued to the present date, and a lively interest is
still maintained, despite irregularities of meeting. A room in the Monroe
county court house is set aside for the society, and therein are kept the records
and valuable possessions of the body. Prof. James A. Woodburn is the presi-
dent now : Frank Duncan, the secretary ; L. D. Rogers, the treasurer ; and
Amzi Atwater, the curator, or keeper of the society property.
' ■ ARTESIAN WELL AT BLOOMINGTON.
In Octol^er. 1883, the citizens of Bloomington were interested in the
boring of an artesian well on the city square. The bore disclosed the follow-
ing strata : Depth of
Strata. strata in feet. Total.
Surface 6 6
Limestone (grayish) __ii9 125
Shale (blue) 630 755
Shale (dark red) 20 775
Limestone (blue) 5 780
Shale (brown) 10 790
Slate (dark) 120 910
Limestone (grayish) 15 925
Limestone (brown) 240 1165
Shaley limestone (blue) 15 1180
Limestone (light) 130 1310
Flint limestone 30 1340
Limestone (light, latter part brown streaks) -170 15 10
Shale (blue) 40 155°
Limestone (blue) 40 1590
Shale (blue streaks line) 60 1650
Shale (blue) 1835
Limestone (light brown) 1835
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
443
At 125 feet crude coal oil was struck, and at 775 feet intlanimal)le gas.
at end of dark red shale.
EARLY STAGES AND RAILROADS.
The following, on the New Albany & Salem Railroad, was written by-
Thomas Carter Perring, and was obtained for this \vork through the kindness
of Prof. Atwater, an officer of the INTonroe County Historical Society, and
may be relied upon as authentic :
The old Virginia covered wagon and the Concord stage coaclies were the
first public conveyances for freight, mail and passengers into and out of
Monroe county, Indiana. They were much in evidence in the late thirties and
the early forties of the last century. .Anyone who owned a four-horse team
and a strong wagon could'do freigliting. The masters of prairie schooners in
Hoosier dialect were called "wagoners." Their occupation was spoken of as
"going to the river," signifying Louisville, Kentucky, on the Ohio river, at
that time the only city market recognized in this western country. These
wagons going were loaded with fruit, grain and produce. Return load was
merchandise for our store keepers and townspeople. It was sort of a gypsy
life, camping out at night and traveling by day. In fair weather it was an
easy, pleasant and profitable business. These wagoners usually managed for
purpose of company and assistance to travel in bunches of from four to six
wagons. It took from six to ten days to make the round trip, dependent on
condition of the roads.
The first roads in this country were nothing better than a narrow trail,
chopped out through the dense forests, dug down from the hill sides, follow-
ing crooked streams, meandering through level valleys, and going around hills
by every easiest way. These roads were scripturally made, just as our first
parent, Adam, of dirt, but not like his make, pronounced good l)v the maker.
Their names were "ATud" and sometimes "Knee Deep in June."
The New iXlbany &• Salem railroad did not digress very much from the
dirt road line, and it was first as fearfully and wonderfully made.
In the high thirties of eighteen hundred. J. O. and S. M. Orchard, enter-
prising hotel owners of F)loomington, secured a United States mail contract,
and acquired a stage coach line for transportation of mail and passengers
from Louisville, Kentucky, to Indianapolis, Indiana, and return, passing
through" Bloomington and all intermediate towns north and south on what
at that date had become known as the state road.
The Orchards were pioneers. They owned the first and only hotel in
^44 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Bloomington, the "Temperance Inn/' a well known hostelry and a noted land-
mark for sixty-five years. The hotel stood on the lots now occupied by the
George Bankert stores. This hotel, with the stables attached, on the lots west
of the railroad station and tracks, was the headquarters or the Orchard mail
and stage coach line. The Orchard stage coaches were of latest Concord
pattern, the best make manufactured. The bodies swung on great double
thongs of heavy leather on strong, freight-like wagon wheels built for service
and durability. The mails were taken on in locked sacks and placed in a
strong locked box under the driver's seat, for safety and protection. Pass-
engers were crowded into cross-seats inside, alternately facing each other,
one-half of them riding backwards. "Always room for one more," they were
crowded in sometimes, pressed together like dried apples in a packing box.
The baggage was lashed onto a drop contraption out behind called the "stage
boot," because it looked like anything but a boot, except it was made of water-
proof leather. And such a mixed lot of curious baggage it did sometimes
hold, — small hair-bristling, horse-hide trunks, stuffed bags of coarse carpet
make, and emigrant junk of any old thing, all under the name of "luggage."
The motive power of these stages was four to six dapple gray horses, necks
bowed up like fish-hooks, and the largest and the strongest that were obtain-
able. Owing to hard driving and fatigue, the horses had to be changed at
intervals of about twelve miles. There were three regular changes or relays
of horses in Monroe county in either direction traveled. South at the lot of
John McRea's stables, one mile south of Harrodsburg. In Bloomington. at
Temperance Inn stables, where every passing team and stage from either
direction put up over night. South relay was at widow Sara Corr's, Hindo-
stan postoffice. Ed Corr's grandmother. The time made by these stages was
contingent on the condition of the dirt roads. A day's run was about sixty
miles, and usually made in daylight.
One of Orchard's stages left Touisville. Kentucky, and another left Indi-
anapolis, every Monday morning, each making one round trip per week, three
days in each direction, loaded with mail and passengers. On this schedule
Bloomington had our through mails and conveyances for travel each week,
which was the limit until the arrival of the New Albany & Salem railroad.
The stage drivers on the high seat on top were the "whole thing" — mail
carrier, baggage master, engineer, conductor, collector, and sometimes quite
active artillerymen, for this country was not a land of sucking doves. "The
man behind the gun" was in evidence, or was at least prepared for hostile
emergencies. .All readers of Dickens' stories know the standing of "Ye coach-
man," and all American pioneers know of the skill and the daring of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 445
Stage drivers on the western trails. Those drivers of the Orchard stage
coaches, in their rough homespun suits, stuck around with crude firearms,
were ever looked up to as a favored class, holding exalted positions. In the
words of Fitzhue, of Georgia, doorkeeper of the Ignited States Senate, they
were considered "bigger men than old Grant." and there was nothing too
good for them.
My father was the respected and honored driver on one stage of this
line. He was in the bloom of manhood, just over from Axminster, England,
and having a marked accent, became familiarly known all along the "drive"
by the name of "Little Englishman." On the opposite run the driver was
Robert McPheeters, the father of our Dory and John Arthur. McPheeters
was known along the line as "Windy Bob," because he was a spinner of some
wonderful stories. Bob was a stor}- faker chief, said to be the biggest that
ever struck the trail or the town, before the arrival of good old Dr. Oregon
Smith, the prince of story romancers.
The salary for this honored but responsible stage service to each driver
was sixteen and two-thirds dollars per month and found, meaning free lodging,
board and laundry. This pay was regarded as princely wages in the thirties
period of hard times and scarce money. Passengers were not sold tickets as
railroads now do, but were way-billed more like live-stock freight. The driv-
ers picked up or set down passengers at their homes in the larger towns, and
delivered them at their resident destination in each of the terminal cities.
The drivers were collection agents for all unpaid fares and did this business
on honor and without bond. A passenger from Bloomington to Indianapolis
was charged or way-billed for three dollars, and to Louisville for six dollars.
No second class fares or half rate fellows like over-grown youths, or circuit-
riding preachers, were considered. The report that these drivers stopped at
the bottom of a steep hill when the stage was heavily loaded and called down.
"All first class passengers get out and walk ; all second class passengers get
out and push," was a story of Windy Bob's own creation.
The Orchards, with their stage drivers, were the first near-railroad men
of Monroe county. The\ were minus tlie iron rails and the iron horse
and coach, of which the} were the forerunner-^. Tho-^e two old-time "stagers"
were crowded off the scene of action, liad to come down from their high seats.
their occupation gone. Their positions were usurped by the new locomotive
drivers, the brass-buttoned, lilue-coated conductors on the incoming railroad
trains of the new era. They gracefullv accepted the situation, gave a double
farewell to "Ye lumbering old stage coach," and a hearty three times three
44^ l-AWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
welcome to "Ye easie going passenger train" of the New Albany & Salem
railroad.
NEW ALBANY AND SALEM RAILROAD.
New Albany, Indiana, was an ambitious little city on the north bank
of the Ohio river. Salem, Indiana, was a progressive hamlet thirty-five miles
inland. The city and the town had many social and commercial interests in
common. They had attained the age of majority, were friendly and chummy,
and flirted and courted until they al)sorl)ed the double-headed notion that they
would like to be joined together in the iron bonds of railroad wedlock. They
made an appeal to the men and the great state of Indiana, a license was granted
and marriage was consummated January 6, 1847. T^he groom got a hustle
and the bride got a bustle on. and in the proper interval of time, January 18,
1850. a child was born. It was christened the ''New Albany and Salem Rail-
road," for which James Brooks stood as godfather and Phoebe Brooks as
godmother.
Tliis New All;anv and .Salem vnungster was lu>rn delicate and weakly,
yet it was able to sit up and take notice. It was fairly perfect in form and
feature and finish, and was ready and anxious for traffic and business. Its
plavthinglike track was laid of common flat-bar iron, spiked through to sawed
wooden stringers, braced apart and bound together every six feet l)y wooden
cross-ties. It had two daisv little liglit-weight engines liearing the names of
James Brooks and Phoebe Pirooks, in honor of its worthy president and his
wife. Its complement of toy-like coaclies, box cars and gondolas were simple
enough for all the business in sight or to be secured.
*******
In the fall of 1849. the New Albany &- Salem railroad was surveyed
through our home countv of Monroe. From a point on the south line near the
town of Guthrie, ranging northerly, coming through and splitting Blooming-
ton almost in halves, thence out to the north line of the county near Gosport.
The greatest bugaboo about adopting this survey was the big expense of con-
stnicting the high bridge and fill at Jackson's creek, and tlie deep rock-clay
cut at the edge of town. This ridge was the highest point on the railroad
survey. So this pioneer railroad was projected through Monroe county in
1849, the same vear that numbers of our citizens hit the trail bound for the
gold mines of California.
The fashion of building railroads was raging in Indiana, and any county
not having one was out of fashion and was out of the world as well. Monroe
countv had no railroad, so she began to perk up and take notice. Here was a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 447
new railroad being projected lengthwise through the great state of Indiana.
Monroe county could have thirty-three miles of this road within its own
boundaries for the asking — substantially backed up, of course, with sufficient
assistance and encouragement. The company only advocated a free right of
way, some donations and a nominal stock subscription. This stock was to be
a dividend earner, and a valuable and paying investment forever. In addi-
tion, the town of Bloomington was promised a railroad round-house, the
machine shops, and a freight division terminal.
Town meetings were called, the public feeling worked up. and all citizens
were enthusiastic for giving and getting the road at any and all hazards.
Building grounds and right of way was pledged to the railroad, and a liberal
stock subscription procured. It was thought to be the "Simon pure old Jacob
Townsend blown in the bottle goods," and was as popular accordingly. People
fell over themselves in haste to subscribe. The stock book looked like a dupli-
cate Monroe county tax list of that period. Terms of payment were easy:
Cordwood, land, timber, bridge stone, all were given.
The first location survey of the route into town was east of the present
line along Walnut street, and following Spankers' branch across the Max-
well, Ben Adams and graded school lots to the jiresent site of the depot.
The route was later changed to the Bedford road and up Morton street.
The first sur\ey in the south ])art of the county was located near the
Ketcham mills. The route was afterwards changed on the plea of getting
more business out of the little town of Smithville than from the mills. All
told, it is believed that near one hundred thousand dollars' worth of stock
was gathered from the willing and generous people of ]\lonroe county. No
doubt great bunches of it today could l)e raked out of old socks and strong
boxes — worthless souvenirs of each owner's railroad investment. Built in a
happy-go-lucky fashion, in the crudest, easiest and least ex|)ensive way, it
was nevertheles.'? a railroad, and filled the prescri])tion and met the require-
ments. The town got its i)romise, too. in a four-stall engine round-house;
a machine-shop lean-to, employing one brawny blacksmith and his helper;
and in addition to all that, a big, unsightly brick depot thrown in for good
measure.
Some seventy miles of the main line track was liuilt of flat-liar iron in
a manner as has been described. The ordinary pounding of the engines on
this flat-bar track often loosened the flat-headed nails and the end of the
bar springing up was called a "sneak-head." The constant loosening of these
bars was ever a source of trouble and danger.
The first little wheezy, wood-burner, fire-tossing engines, with their
448 Ly^WRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
balloon-shaped smoke stacks and their canvas-covered, bow-topped cabs of
wagon-bed shape, were of small and light pattern. The other rolling stock
of the road were those little short, squatty, sawed-off, eight-ton box cars,
the roof so low that a full grown man had to stoop or telescope himself to
enter, and could not stand erect inside. A dinky little train of this kind was
first put in service, and was called a "wild cat." After the new^ road was
placed in better condition, this free and easy, wild cat train was superseded
by two mixed trains of a few freight cars and one coach for passengers.
These trains would stop for a passenger when flagged at any public cross-
roads. A disgruntled passenger writing about these trains, said: "It took
a long summer day to get there, for the engines v.ere fed with wood, and
every now and then had to load the tender with fuel corded on the right of
way, and water the locomotive sometimes by bailing from near streams with
buckets (the brakeman called this operation jerking water) and from this
the road gets its name of 'jerk water road.' " The trains also had to stop to
mend couplings, to cool off hot boxes, drive cattle ofif the track, and wait at
meeting points for other trains in equally bad luck.
The track of the New Albany & Salem railroad was laid into Bloom-
ington in the fall of 1853. ^^'^^ '*^ '^''^^ "ot finished through the county until
the following summer. At Bloomington. July 4, 1854, the New Albany &
Salem road was declared finished and open for traffic throughout its com-
pleted length. Excursion trains crowded with people came into Blooming-
ton from both north and south. There was a free-for-all jollification, glori-
fication; speeches from delighted railroad men, and also from jubilant citi-
zens— a feast of reason and a flow of soul, and a big barliecue dinner served
on the court house square.
The first vear or two nf the railroad's operation of trains it had no
telegraph or Morse code or Marconi system. Later along, and in conform-
ity with other railroad work, an apology of a telegraph line was constructed.
One small strand of common wire loosely strung on low black-jack poles,
about such as farmers use for training butter beans and hop vines. The first
messages used were sight written ; that is, were first compressed on a long,
narrow white paper ribbon, by feeding through a little roller dot and dash
perforating receiver, then cut out, deciphered, and translated from the Morse
code.
From its very first inception, the railroad v.as the Initt of ridicule, and
got the gaff from employes and the public. It was dub]:)ed and derided as
the "jerk water," the '.'dog fennel," 'twin rust streak," etc. The first em-
ployes in the train service were few in number and quite well known. Ed-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 449
ward Gregon-. engineer, with James Draysdale, fireman, pulled the first train
into Monroe county, as well as the first passenger train into Bloomington.
The New Albany & Salem railroad was known and called the "College
road," for the reason it had such a string of colleges all along the line. There
was DePauw Seminary, Borden Institute, Southern Baptist Normal, State
University, Asbury College, Wabash College, Purdue Agricultural, North-
ern Normal, not mentioning a state refonnatory at south and a state peni-
tentiary at the north terminal.
October 4, 1859, the New Albany & Salem railroad, recovering from
the hands of a receiver and under a new management, Salem lost her place
and name in the railroad game. On this same date, New Albany also was
given a mortal wrench and lined up as a way station, but permitted to hold
second place in the new title of "Louisville. New Albany & Chicago Railroad
Company."
THE INDIANAPOLIS SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
The subject of a new railroad for Bloomington is one which engaged
the attention of the citizens and voters of this city for many years, to my
knowledge. The necessity for additional facilities was keenly felt by the
enterprising people and by the management of the university. Probably for
half a century this city sought to get out of the woods by means of another
railroad, leading in almost any direction. Any many prospects were ex-
ploited, but all failed, and the routes were strewn with the blasted hopes
and the broken fortunes of the promoters ; for it costs money, in no stinted
sums, to promote railroads.
But a better day dawned, and the past was forgotten. For in the last
year of the last century, the Indianapolis Southern railway was incorporated
by David M. Parry, William E. Stevenson, Charles E. Barrett, John Mc-
Gettigan et al., with the avowed purpose of building a railroad, the main
line of which would start from Indianapolis and run through the counties
of Johnson, Morgan, Brown, Lawrence, Orange, Dubois, Warrick and Van-
derberg, to Evansville, with a branch line from some point in Johnson, Mor-
gan or Brown county, through Monroe, Greene and Sullivan counties to a
point near Hymera in Sullivan county. Surveys were also made through
Jackson county to Brownstown, thence through Salem in Washington county
to Paoli, Orange county.
The sophistries of the promoters did not prevail against the money bags
of Wall street, and the result was that the main line failed, because no money
could be secured to build it.
(29)
450 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The company was reorganized in February, 1902, and from the date of
this reorganization Bloomington had her first real chance for a new raih'oad.
The first move was to marshal the business men and send a delegation of our
l>est to Indianapolis, to extend the glad hand and promise hearty co-opera-
tion and support. It was early decided to follow about the present line from
Indianapolis to Bloomington. The following summer petitions were circu-
lated and elections ordered to vote on subsidies in Benton, Bloomington,
Perry and Van Buren townships. The elections were held on the 8th day of
July, 1902. Van Buren voted against the subsidy. Benton voted $3,653
subsidy by a majority of two votes. Perry voted $30,796 by a majority of
142 votes. Bloomington township voted $54,433 by a majority of 599
votes. Thus the two townships of Bloomington and Perry voted a total
subsidy of $85,229. A tidy sum indeed. During this year of 1902 rich
men from the East often came to look over the line, and to estimate the
probabilities of return for an investment in the bonds.
The first location of the road east of the city followed along the breaks
of Griffy creek, from near the present Unionville station, and came through
Kenwood addition from the northeast to Madison street. It violated one
of the fixed rules for good railroad building, in getting down off the high
ground this side of Unionville station, and traversing a rugged country,
thence to the city for five or six miles, and then attempting to climb up onto
high ground again. The grades were objectionable from a railroad view-
point, and this part of the route was relocated when the Illinois Central came
into possession. From Eleventh street the line followed Madison street
south and crossed the Monon at grade on the heavy curving grade at Eighth
street, thence down the branch back of the Dill mill and the gas plant, to the
Monon right of way, which was thence pretty closely followed to Clear
creek.
The first official action which the city was called upon to take, in relation
to the railroad, was on the i8th of November, 1902, when David M. Parry,
William E. Stevenson, Thomas PI. Hazelrigg and others appeared before the
council and presented a petition asking for a franchise for their road to run
through the city, and urged that the matter be considered and the franchise
be granted at that meeting, as the conditions of the franchise were pretty
well understood by the people at large. It was a great disappointment to
these men when the council, with scant ceremony, postponed the considera-
tion of the franchise. The visitors left the city the next morning on the
first train out, in an ugly frame of mind toward official Bloomington. They
said they would never ask another hearing, and I sought to placate them by
volunteering to present and urge the franchise at the next meeting. The
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 45 1
franchise, as prepared, was all right, and was proof against any reasonable
objections by any citizen.
At the next meeting, held on the 2d day of Decemlier, 1902, present
Frank J. Dunn, mayor; councilmen Sanford F. Teter, John F. Potts, Fred
Fess, Henry Splitgerber, Ellsworth Cooper and Isaac ^^'alker. I presented
and read the franchise, which had by this time become pretty well understood,
because an effort had been made in the meantime to awaken public interest
in the necessity of doing our part to supplement the eft'orts of the men who,
in good faith, were tiying to build us a railroad. There was some opposition
and some unpleasant things said, but no concert of action, and the franchise
was passed by an unanimous vote of the council, and afterward approved
by the mayor.
It was not until the early summer of 1903 that a man appeared on the
scene w'ith money and courage to put it into this railroad. He was Archibald
White, of Wall street, who had recently syndicated the salt interests of the
country, and formed the trust, and thereby made his millions. We showed
him all the quarries, and estimated the output, and before the day ended he
saw a great light, and began figuring upon the feasibility of syndicating the
stone business and making a barrel. This was the man who put up the first
building money for the Indianapolis Southern Railway.
Early in September, 1903, actual work began along the whole line from
Indianapolis to Bloomington. Interest abated not until winter. During all
this time work was progressing, and there was apparently nothing to mar
the prospect for an early completion of the road. During the winter of
1904 it was definitely settled by the highest engineering authority that it was
impracticable to cross the Monon railroad at grade at Eighth street, as con-
templated in the first franchise, for the reason that at this point, and for a
long distance north and considerable distance south, the Monon was not only
climbing a heavy grade, but was turning sharply to the northwest, and as a
consequence the east rail of the track was very considerably higher than the
west rail, and that it would be impractical^le to adjust the track of the new
railroad to such conditions. So the directors asked me to present a petition
to the council for a franchise for the use of Morton instead of ^Madison
street, and to cross the Monon between Fifth and Sixth streets. Accordingly,
on February 2, 1904, I went before the council and presented the new fran-
chise. A spirited campaign was initiated, and a fierce fight made before the
council. When it finally came to a test the vote stood in favor of the amended
franchise. It was about the time this franchise was put upon its passage
that the New York financiers failed or refused to furnish monev to continue
452 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the work. Parry, Stevenson and the Van Camps are resolute and resourceful
men. They met the crisis as became men who had weathered many commer-
cial storms. With undaunted courage they accepted the situation and did the
only thing under the circumstances which could possibly succeed. Each put
his personal and private fortune into a common fund, and from this the pay-
rolls were made, and the teams and men were kept at work. When this
fund was exhausted, they replenished it, easily at first, by borrowing from
the banks and trust companies of Indianapolis.
The spring wore away, the summer came, and though sometimes almost
overwhelmed with difficulties, these dauntless fellows were able to keep the
work going until Ji-ily, 1904, when Stuyvesant Fish, president of the Illinois
Central railroad, and a party of his official family, came prospecting over the
line. They were so well pleased with the outlook, not knowing the distress
of the builders, that they were prepared and willing, without much haggling,
to offer a price for it which would net the promoters a handsome reward for
the efforts and hazards of the past, and entitle them to the glory of having
built another railroad into Indianapolis. The preliminaries were arranged,
and the new management was soon directing affairs and paying bills.
A. S. Baldwin, chief engineer of the Illinois Central railroad, was put
in charge of construction. There had been so much work already done east
of the timnel that it was deemed inexpedient to modify it. But from near
Unionville station, he had new sun^eys made along about the present line to
Switz City. Modern railroads are built on a grade not exceeding one-half
of one per cent, and with a maximum curvature of three degrees. Mr.
Baldwin wanted to build a modern railroad, and thus sought and found
such grade, and kept within the limits of curvature. Without wincing, the
management abandoned the expensive work already done near Unionville,
also the great tunnel building by Bruce Head south of Sanford. This reloca-
tion meant that the old franchise through the city would not serve the purpose
for the new line.
It was in January, 1905, that high officers of the Illinois Central rail-
road had a meeting in their private car at Indianapolis, and I was invited
and urged to attend. The spokesman outlined the purpose of the meeting,
and said that the road would be compelled to ask a new franchise through
Bloomington, and would insist that all mention of coal, or other freight
rates, be omitted from the franchise. I demanded for the city recompense
for the loss of the rates. After much discussion they offered to yield half
the subsidy, if I would come home and lend my best energies toward getting
our people to grant them the desired franchise and omit the rates. I still
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 453
persisted, and after we had several rounds of discussion, pro and con, they
at last yielded the whole subsidy.
I hurried home, elated with the terms I had negotiated with the railroad
company for the relinquishment of the subsidy. I could not understand how
anyone could oppose it. But a sinister influence did effective work with the
City Merchants' Association, and this body remonstrated against the fran-
chise. Influential individuals and interests, allied to the Monon, opposed the
franchise. The battle went merrily on for a week, when the council met in
regular session on the 17th of January, 1903. Mr. Baldwin presented the
claims of the railroad. To the disappointment of Mr. Baldwin, the final
consideration of the franchise was postponed until January 24, 1905, at
which time the council met in special session. Diplomacy is an effective
agency at a critical time like this. Its use on this particular occasion closed
the breach between the council and the railroad representative. Some minor
changes were agreed upon, and, on roll call, the franchise was passed. The
serious obstacles were now out of the way, and there was nothing to hinder
the vigorous prosecution of the work of actual railroad building.
During the spring, summer and fall of 1905 great ])rogress was made,
and before winter had closed in the work train had forged for\\ard to within
a mile of the east side of the city, and on the 23d of April, 1906, the first
scheduled passenger train from Indianapolis steamed into Bloomington and
discharged its passengers at a temporary station near the intersection of
Lincoln street. The present passenger depot between College avenue and
Walnut street was Inult during the autumn of 1906. Thus the militant period
passed, the struggle ended, and we all felt secure that at last we had another
railroad.
PIONEER TALES.
(By INIargaret J. McCullough.)
When I was a little girl I used to see some of the old people vvho were
still left of the pioneer days of the twenties and thirties of the last century.
A child, being heedless, I recall now but little of their talk. I do not think,
either, that most of their talk was of the past. They were people who make
history, rather than recite it.
I remember how they looked. The old ladies wore caps. Caps were put
on in the earlier part of the last century, not as a mark of old age, as some
think, but a badge of the married woman. ]\Iy grandmother, \\ho was mar-
ried at the age of sixteen, put on a cap to wear to what was called "the in-
fair dinner" the next da}- after her wedding, and she wore cajjs till the day
of her death. Some of these old ladies wore under their caps smooth, dark,
thick false fronts or half wigs, which were called "Ijraids."
454 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Their best dresses were usually of black silk or lustre, with full straight
skirts, the kind built for service, and not considered worn out until they had
been turned upside down, ^\ rongside out, and perhaps redyed in tlie family
dye-kettle. The bonnets they wore were bonnets in fact, as well as in name.
Some of them used tobacco, which they usually smoked in pipes, though I
could name one who preferred to chew, and another who took snuff, not
"dipping" in the Southern style of today, but snuffing the stuff up the nostrils
in a way to cause a good sneeze.
The good names their parents had given them had in the early years of
the last century been fashionably nicknamed ; Polly for Mary, Patsy for
Martha, Betsy for Elizabeth, Sally for Sarah, and Peggy for Margaret.
These were the names they, in their old age, still called each other. When
these old ladies came with their knitting to visit my grandmother, I would
sometimes listen to the talk of the knitters.
It was "Cousin Patsy Baugh" who told this story : The first year the
peach trees they had planted bore fruit, they got some flour from Vincennes,
and she made a peach pie. She sent invitations to her neighbors to come in
and eat peach pie, which they did. She thought it was the first peach pie
ever made in this county. The peach pie of that day was of the deep kind,
known as a cobbler, and baked by the fire place in probably an iron oven.
My grandmother moved here without bringing along a broom. My
grandfather had bought lots here and paid a man to build a cabin for him
while he went back to Kentucky after his family. When he got back the
man had not built his cabin. An abandoned cabin stood on the corner of
Seventh and College avenue, on the lot where now stands the Ousler home.
Into that thev moved temporarily. The rough puncheon floor became so dirty
that she was in despair. Back of the cabin a garden had been planted, but
the weeds were as high as her head. One night she dreamed that she searched
among the weeds in the back end of the garden and found broom corn grow-
ing. She looked the next day. finding tlie broom corn as in lier dream, and
cut it and made her first broom to use here. Brooms were then made at
home, and a patch of Ijroom corn was a necessary part of cA^ery garden. I
have seen a few of these old-time home-made brooms. They were always
tied into a round bunch. I never saw one made flat and fan-shaped as are the
factory-made ones of today. Then there \\ere turkey-wings spread out and
carefully dried in shape, that were used not only to fan the fire, but to sweep
the hearth and to brush up litter generally.
Wild turkeys were not uncom.mon then, and even as late as the forties
the price of a fine tame turkey delivered at your door was twenty-five cents.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 455
Mrs. Elizabeth Dunn, known as "Cousin Betsy,'' had been a Miss
Grundy, of Kentucky. Sometime after she and ]\Ir. Dunn were settled in
their first little home near Hanover, her brother came out to visit her. He
found her taking care of three little babes put down before the fireplace in
three little sugar troughs. Two of these babies \\ere the twin sifters. Lucinda
and Clarinda, afterwards Mrs. James Carter and Mrs. Joseph McPheeters,
and the third one became the noted lawyer, George G. Dunn.
The primitive sugar troughs, scooped out of little logs and set to catch
maple sap, have gone out of use, and the sugar trees themselves are fast dis-
appearing. Sugar making, candle making, soap making, fruit drying, starch
making, the curing of meats, may now all be classed with the lost arts, along
with spinning and weaving, so far as family industries are concerned. I do
not know that there is any flax grown in Monroe county today, but that
industry made a fair beginning. Tlie spinning and weaving of wool, both
at home and in small mills, lasted much longer than the weaving of flax and
cotton fabrics, which industry died out as merchants brought more and more
of factory-woven cotton goods from the Eastern states. The factory-made
cotton cloth was first sold under the name of ''steam-loom" and also known
in the market as "factory." I cannot myself see why either name is not as
fitting as to call it "domestic," as is done today.
Speaking of the factories of that day, recalls an odd fact. \A'hen the
college building, that burnt in 1834, was under consideration, there was
some perplexity as to a plan for the Imilding. One of the merchants had
brought on some "steam-loom" with the picture ]iasted on it of the building
where it had been woven. The men on the committee and leading citizens
were so taken with the design of the factory building, that they said it was
the very thing they wanted for the college. Accordingly the college building
was put up to look like it, and became an ornament to the town. Another
ornamental and substantial building was the court house. The gilt cup, and
ball and fish that were mounted above the round tower or dome came from
Louisville. I have heard that in the Ijall were enclosed papers of that date
and a letter from the man who made them. My grandfather, :Vustin Seward,
mounted them.
The able-bodied men of the earlv davs were required to as-^eniblc at
stated times and receive military training. I think the time was once a year
— it was called jNluster day. Great-grandmijtlicr Trwin, who had been a
young girl in Virginia at the time of the Revolutionary war, and who had
seen Washington in command of his army, would make most unfavorable
comments on the drillino- of the raw Hoosiers on muster dav. "Thev are
456 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
getting that wrong," she would say. "Washington did not do it that way."
There are still living a few who remember her, though she was at the time of
the war old enough to spin, weave and cook with her own hands to feed and
clothe the soldiers of the Revolutionary war. But she died many, many
years before I was born.
In 1832 scarlet fever made its first appearance here in a very malignant
form. Every child that had the disease, but two, died. Among the children
who died was my mother's baby brother, Austin, and of the two who lived,
one, Airs. Mary Maxwell Shryer, is still living.
Although at first without a church building, the preaching of the Gospel
was not neglected. When my grandmother's cabin was built, meeting of the
Presbyterians was often held at her home because she had so much room.^
The itinerant preacher had always a welcome in IMonroe county in the
pioneer days that Eggleston has in the "Circuit Rider" well called the
"Heroic Age.'' The work of the early preachers will come up for review in
connection with the diflierent religious denominations, but I wish to recall
that in the late twenties the famous and eccentric Lorenzo Dow in his travels
stopped in this place and preached. I cannot give his church connection, if
he had any.
Later, in the forties, Alexander Campbell, in his old age, was here twice,
and Henry Ward Beecher, at the beginning of his pulilic career, addressed
Bloomington audiences.' I think the}- spoke in the chapel of the old college
building that burned down in 1854.
Water for these early settlers was first obtained from springs. An old
well on West Seventh street, out in the street, and called in my childhood the
public well, was, I think, perhaps one of these springs walled up and made
deeper. The well at the Slocomlj House on the corner of Third and Wal-
nut was dug in 1820 and later the town became fairly well supplied with
wells. Three of these early springs deserve special mention. Dunn's, Hester's
and Stone's. What child ever grew up in old Bloomington who never went to
one of these springs? For they were all favorite places for picnics. The
first picnic in this place that I have heard of was one at Hester's spring. It
was for Mr. Perring's school, and the girls marched up what is now^ Walnut
street, two by two, wearing white dresses, with pink muslin sashes, or per-
haps thev were lilue. fastened over their shoulders. Hester's spring was
later known for manv years as Labertew's spring. The name LaBoyteaux
was corrupted into Labertew by the people of the town. Judge Creaven B.
Hester was perhaps one of the first trustees of the :\Ionroe County Seminary.
This school for a considerable part of its history was wholly given to the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 457
education of girls, during the most of Mr. Perring's administration and per-
haps all of Mrs. McFerson's, but lioys went there at first and during the last
years of its histoiy. One of the first, if not the first, churches of the place
was a log building which was built on what is now the home of Mrs. Xancy
Blair McQuiston ; I think one of the foundation stones can still be located in
her yard. In this building, with oiled paper fastened over openings in the
logs for windows, was taught one of the first schools of the county. The
name of the teacher I cannot give, but I understand that spelling was the
chief thing taught.
On the corner of Eighth and Walnut, now the home of Henry Gentry,
once stood an old brick house where a school was taught, or at least started,
by a woman who lived in the house, l)ut her name T cannot give. My mother
was sent to this school. The first day she seeded cherries. The second day
she filled candle moulds. The third day her mother kept her at home. There
is mention made in the "New Purchase" of a school for girls which I cannot
tell anything more about than is told here. l)ut the facts given in that book
are true, so I have been told.
At the time the first edition of that book came out, my grandfather had
inflammatory rheumatism. He lay on a trundle-bed in front of the fire-
place in the parlor of his home, and my mother read the liook aloud to him.
He laughed heartily at the l;!0;:>k, and said the incidents related were true;
in many cases, he could relate a good many more points to the stories. I once
heard a great aunt speak of a party when a pig was put into a window by
some of the unin\-ited. who resented the drawing of a social line of division.
This is a tale that will be recalled by those who have read the New Purchase.
I have heard this same grand-aunt tell of a singing held at a farm house
east of town : it must he now se^Tnty-fiye years ago. Some interest appears
to have Iieen taken in music from the ^•ery first. The histnrv of the Bloom-
ington Band will, no doubt, be written out so far as known. T think I may
claim for AA\ B. Seward that he has the distinction of lieing tlie ^'oungest
member ever belonging to a band in the state, serving as he did as a drummer
boy when he was so little that he still wore dresses. Once, during a political
campaign, he was taken, much against his mother's iudgment, to another
town with the band, where it was thought amazing that a bain- could l>eat a
drum for a band and keep time, wliich he diuld do. The ])iano was tauglit at
the seminary during ]\Ir. Perring's time, Imt how early introduced I cannot
tell. Miss Kate Baugh was something of a celebrity in that she "played the
fiddle." Singing schools I know were common and popular, meeting "at early
candle-light." the pupils each taking along his own candle. I can give the
45,8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
names of none of these old time singing-masters before Mr. Saddler. His
singing schools were perliajjs the most noted of any ever tanght in this county,
but they were too late to be classed with the pioneer singing schools.
I wish to refer to one old-time song that my father would sing for me,
not for its elegance, but because it positively settles a much disputed historical
question. The song ran, "Humpsey dumpsey, Colonel Johnson killed Tecum-
seh."
Ouiltings were popular social entertainments of those early times, the
women coming early and getting the quilts out of the frames if possiljle by
supper time, when the men came in for supper, and ''saw the girls home."
Society was divided on the subject of dancing. Some regarded every kind
of dance with abhorrence, while the dancers derided the dullness of what
they called a "settin' party." Mrs. McFerson, who was progressive and up-
to-date in her ideas, introduced callisthenics into her school. These simple
exercises were laughed at and called the Presbyterian sheepdance, Mrs. Mc-
Ferson being a Presbyterian.
The itinerant shoemaker was an important person, going as he did with
his tools from house to house where he stayed till he had fitted out each mem-
ber of the family with shoes, though by no means were all shoemakers itin-
erants.
One of the early families of the place was that of James Clark, whose
farm on South Walnut street, now perhaps within the limits of the town,
was the same afterwards so long known as the Roddy place. The old log
house, the home of the Clark's, was known to be one of the stations on the
underground railroad. The Clarks moved away to Iowa, the Hester family
to California, and the Baughs to another part of the state, if my memory is
accurate. All were influential in the early building up of this community.
Disagreement between Dr. Wylie and Rev. Baynard Hall also led to the
removal of the Hall family, to some town in Connecticut, I think. When
thev left they rode ]\v my grandfather's house and stopped to bid good-bye,
and mv grandfather gave Mr. Hall, as a parting gift, a gun he had made for
him, which he said was his masterpiece of \vork, mounted as it was with
silver trimmings which he had made out of sih'er dollars. \lr. Hall used to
write to him, but it would seem miraculous if one of those old letters could
be found.
I hardly think that these pioneers who ]M-(night to the wilderness the
Bible, and the industrial arts, who established churches and schools and
courts of justice, fully realized the value of the work they were doing in
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 459
laying the foundations of a great state. A leading citizen in this work was
Colonel Ketcham. I will close \\ ith a characteristic story about him .
In August, 1833, my grandfather AlcCollough died of the cholera. The
January following my grandmother ]\IcCollough died. This left a family of
five orjjhan children to be scattered among kin in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois
and [Missouri, and the household effects were sold at auction. As mv father,
a ten-year-old boy, saw the family horse sold and led away, he cried so hard
it moved Colonel Ketcham to pity. He tried to quiet him and told him
when he grew up to be a man he would give him a horse of his own. And
when my father grew to manhood, one day Colonel Ketcham came bringing
him a horse. 'My father did not wish to take it. "Why," asked the Colonel,
"don't you remember my promise at your father's sale?" My father said he
did remember, but he did not expect a promise made years ago to quiet a
crying child to be kept. But the Colonel said that he meant to keep the prom-
ise when he made it, and that he made it a point to keep his word, and he
made my father take the horse.
BIOGRAPHICAL
NATHANIEL USHER HILL, SR.
Indiana has been especially honored in the character and career of her
men of industiy and public service. In every section have been found men
born to leadership in the various vocations, men who have dominated because
of their superior intelligence, natural endowment and force of character. It
is always profitable to study such lives, weigh their motives and hold up their
achievements as incentive to greater activity and higher excellence on the
part of others. These reflections are suggested by the career of one who
forged his way to the front ranks and who, by a strong inherent force and
marked business ability, directed and controlled by intelligence and judgment
of a high order, stood for over a quarter of a century one of the leading men
of the state. No citizen in southern Indiana achieved more honorable men-
tion or occupied a more conspicuous place in the public eye than Nat U. Hill,
whose earthly career has been ended, but whose influence still pervades the
lives of men, the good which he did having been too far-reaching to be meas-
ured in metes and bounds. Success is methodical and consecutive and it will
be found that Mr. Hill's success was attained by normal methods and means
— determined application of mental and physical resources along a rightly
defined line. To ofifer in a work of this province an adequate resume of the
career of this great man would be impossible, but, with others of those who
have conserved the civic and commercial progress of Bloomington and this
section of Indiana, we may well note the more salient points that marked his
life and labors. He was long a prominent and influential factor in public
afifairs of his state, as well as in the business enterprises with which he was
connected, having gained his success through legitimate and worthy means,
and he stood as an admirable type of the self-made man.
Nat U. Hill, Sr., was born in Clay county, Indiana, on June 21, 185 1.
and was the fourth son in a family of six children born to Abel and Almira
(Usher) Hill. His early education was such as the common schools of that
day afforded until he became a student of the Ladoga Academy under that
462 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
eminent scholar, teacher and educator, Milton B. Hopkins, and hy whose
teachings he was inspired to greater things, and for whom he always enter-
tained the greatest admiration and respect. For a short time he was at How-
ard College, Kokomo. In the spring of 1872 he hecame a student in Indiana
University, where he graduated in June, 1875. In 1876 he received his de-
gree from the Law School and, being admitted to the bar. he entered actively
into the practice of his profession in Brazil, continuing until July, 1879, when
he came to Bloomington and took charge of the settlement of the estate of his
father-in-law, the late Judge George A. Buskirk. He was at once elected a
director of the First National Bank of Bloomington, the controlling interest
of which was held by the estate, and in January, 1881, he was elected vice-
president of the bank and in January, 1889. was elected president. That he
possessed abilities of a high order was abundantly demonstrated in his ad-
ministration of the affairs of the estate, which he successfully settled to the
entire satisfaction of all concerned. His association with the bank was for-
tunate for the institution, for, taking it in its weakened condition, occasioned
by the financial panic, the stock having depreciated until it was worth only
eighty-five cents on the dollar, he, by untiring energy and industry, succeeded
in bringing it to a position in the front rank of the leading banks of this sec-
tion of the state. He was president of this bank until elected state
treasurer. As president of the bank Mr. Hill exerted a large influence on the
business life of the community and, though cautious and wisely conservative,
he contributed greatly to the progress and stability of business and to the suc-
cessful outcome of many enterprises of magnitude and importance. His
death, which occurred in a hospital at Indianapolis on May 8. 1908, re-
moved from Indiana one of her most substantial and highly esteemed citizens
and the many beautiful tributes to his high standing in the world of affairs
and as a man and citizen attested to the abiding place he had in the hearts and
affections of those who knew him and of his work and accomplishments.
A life-long supporter of the Republican party, Mr. Hill was for two
decades one of the most prominent and influential workers in that political
organization, having rendered efficient service as county chairman, district
chairman and as a delegate to the Republican national conventions of 1892
and 1896. In 1896 he was nominated as representative to the state Legisla-
ture, but the district, comprising Brown and Monroe counties, being over-
whelmingly Democratic, he was defeated by a few votes. However, he
exerted a large influence in the advancemnt of masures for the welfare of the
community and the people at large and contributed in a very definite degree to
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 463
the passage of the first legislative endowment bill for the State University.
In 1902 Mr. Hill was placed in nomination by his party for the office of state
treasurer, to which he was elected in the ensuing fall, and so satisfactory was
his administration of the duties of that responsible office that in 1904 he was
renominated by acclamation, and was elected, thus serving two terms. At the
expiration of his second term, he was urged by many to become a candidate
for governor, but declined, preferring to give his attention to his business
interests in Bloomington. Mr. Hill enjoyed a wide acquaintance among the
prominent politicians of the state. He was a shrewd and sagacious manager
of political campaigns and was frequently sought for advice by his party as-
sociates. "I never knew a more tenacious fighter than Nat Hill. There is not
a Republican in Indiana who will not seriously regret his death," were the
words of one of his political friends, on hearing of his death, and State Chair-
man Fred A. Sims said : "Nat Hill has always been a fighter in politics, and
he has stood by his friends to the last ditch." Mr. Hill was a man of magnif-
icent physique, standing six feet tall, broad shouldered and strong, and at-
tracted attention in any gathering. His nature was genial and social, and he
provoked no one to enmity, for the simplicity and cordiality of his nature and
manners invited friendship and forbade or disarmed enmity. Hospitable by
nature, he was cordially responsive to all social claims, and his home was at-
tractive to all who were numbered among his friends. The death of such a
man is a great public loss, and not alone his intimate associates, but the people
of the city and community, felt the sense of distinct personal bereavement.
e left to his family the rich memory of an unstained name, and to the city he
loved so weH the record and example of a long and well-spent life.
On December 31, 1878, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Anna M.
Buskirk, the daughter of Judge George A. Buskirk, and to them were born
two children, Nathaniel Usher, who is referred to elsewhere in this work, and
Philip Buskirk, who is assistant superintendent of the Empire Stone Com-
pany. Mrs. Hill still resides in the old home on College avenue. Bloomington.
In closing this review of Mr. Hill's life it is deemed particularly fitting
that there be reproduced excerpts from the many tributes paid to the de-
ceased at the time of his death. From the address delivered at the gymnasium
of Indiana University, on May 11, 1908, by Judge H. C. Duncan, we quote
the following:
"When the life went of Nathaniel Usher Hill it went out of one of
the strongest and most forceful characters in this community — in the whole
state. With an intimate acquaintance, with business relations, a close per-
464 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
sonal friendship, all extending over almost a third of a century, I think I knew
him as well as was allotted to but few.
"Of the many phases of his character, and he had many, I think his
loyalty in all relations of life predominated. Born in 185 1, he was at the im-
pressionable age of ten years when the great civil conflict for the preserva-
tion of the Union began, and for the next four years he lived in an atmos-
phere of loyalty and devotion to duty and country, in which all that was dear
to the human heart was offered as a sacrifice to his country. All his family
and local surroundings breathed the spirit of loyalty. His uncle, John P.
Usher, was a member of President Lincoln's cabinet and, with him, suffered
the anguish of defeat and rejoiced in the pleasures of victory. Another
uncle, Nathaniel Usher, whose name he bore, was a federal judge. His
parents gave three sons to the war, one of whom he, as a little boy, saw
brought home from the army so stricken with wounds that he died, and, with
his mother, father and sister, followed to his last resting place ; while another,
so far in the enemy's country that his command had not heard of Appomat-
tox, lost a leg in battle after the cessation of hostilities and the close of the
war.
"With such an education- — with such surroundings — he began the battle
of life, and no one can say of him that he was ever disloyal to a friend,
cause, an institution, his town or his country.
"His friends were legion. They were not confined to any one sect, creed,
party, race, color, or condition of life. His humanity was broad enough and
his soul big enough to embrace all. More than one can tell of counsel and of
advice bestowed, aid given, and of a helping hand extended. Every enterprise
started for the betterment of the community had his earnest sympathy and
enthusiastic support, while more than one was carried forward to ultimate
success only by reason of substantial aid and assistance furnished at his hands.
"His loyalty to his friends in advancement, political or otherwise, was a
prominent trait in his character. For two decades he has been a factor in
politics, and stood high in the councils of his party. No friend ever appealed
to him in vain, and when a cause was once espoused, it was as his own. No
work was too hard, no task too difficult, for him to undertake and accomplish.
In the last gubernatorial campaign, when an invalid and should have been at
his home, his combined energies were given to the nomination of Mr. Watson,
and while he met reverses, where he should not, his labors were ultimately
crowned with success. During a long, active and successful political
career, when opportunity offered for his own advancement, he stepped aside
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 465
for others. In 1894 he could have been elected to Congress if he had con-
sented to make the race, but his support was promised to another, and to him
he was loyal. Other positions were tendered, but by reason of aspirations of
others, his friends, he stepped aside.
''But his greatest work, and for which he will ever be best known and
longest remembered, was the work done for Indiana University. ' After he
had taken his degree in 1875 he became a citizen of Bloomington in 1879.
From that time to the last meeting of the board of trustees in April, 1908,
its advancement was the central idea of his life and labors and around which
evervthing else revolved and to which all else was subordinated. In the race
for preferment by the colleges of the state, the university was falling behind
for lack of means. Every Legislature beheld this ward of the state a sup-
pliant for monev, not for advancement, but for actual existence. In 1883 a
law which would supply its pressing needs failed. He and a few others un-
dertook the hopeless task of breathing life into a dead measure, succeeded,
and it became a law. AA'hen the new college building, with library, anparatus.
and museum, burned in July, 1S83, rebuilding was seriously questioned.
Through the efforts of a A'erv few citizens, led by him, a donation of fifty
thousand dollars was made by the county, the present site bought, and not a
move was made nor an act done from the time the proposition for a donation
Avas advanced, until the money was turned over, without his advice and co-
operation, and the uni-\-ersitv was saA'ed to Bloomington. In 1895 more money
was needed to supply fast-growing demands for higher education, and the
special tax bill was passed, giving this university, Purdue and the State
Normal School a regular and certain income. This was done after a very
bitter contest in which all the non-state colleges of the state ioined, and I
speak advisedly when I say. the proposition originated with him, the contest
was organized and carried forward to its successful tremination under his
leadership.
"In the fight for the medical college he was the most potent factor. His
office was headquarters. He was a heavy contributor and was present when'
the money was raised to save the medical college building. And d.uring all
these years his work was unselfishlv, willinglv and cheerfullv done, without
reward or hope thereof, and only to advance the interests of the community
in which he lived and his alma mater, which he loved. In every great emer-
gency an appeal to him for his ability and his means was not in vain.
"J. V\^. Fesler, an intimate friend for years and a member of the board
(30)
466 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of trustees with him, in an interview truthfully said, 'Every stone on the
cam]ms is a monument to Nat Hill' Everybody knows that he has done a
great deal for the universitv, but only those on the inside realize just how
much. Once, twice, perhaps three times, he has saved the very life of the in-
stitution. We shall all miss him — the people of Bloomington and the authori-
ties of the university. To what extent, we will not realize until trouble arises
or there is some ])ig movement to push through. For the past thirty years
Avhen there has been anything to do we would say, 'Send for Nat,' and he
would do it. Now who are we going to send for? " * *
"I-Ie was a strong, forceful man physically, mentally and intellectually;
of rare good judgment in Ixisiness, as well as other matters; of a high order
of executive abilitv, and, most of all, a judge of men. In his estimate of men
he seldom made a mistake, but if he did it was a grievous one. He had that
talent which inspired others with the enthusiasm he himself possessed. He
correctlv divined the thoughts, motives and desires of others, and in a political
contest anticipated the acts and movements of his adversary. In a campaign,
political or otherwise, he never let up. He was locally known as 'The man
who never sleeps.' He was a hard and ]jersistent fighter, Init when the battle
was over he quit. He never carried animosities, was not resentful, but pre-
ferred to li\e at peace with all mankind, ^^'ith liis remarkable physique he
looked to li\e to he an old man, ]:)ut by his zeal, untiring energy, ceaseless
vigilance, active industry and constant ]a]:)ors he burned the candle at ]>oth
ends.
"He was brave physically, morally and intellectually, but with a heart as
tender as a woman. I sat with him in the theater and heard the 'Old Home-
stead,' by Denman Thoni])son, and he wept like a school girl. AVhen tbe old
soldiers marched bv with their wreaths on Decoration Day his voice choked
and his eves filled with tears. His position was never equivocal. While not
parading his opinions, or ofl:'ensively thrusting his views on the public, it was
always known where he stood. On all questions afifecting the public welfare
— on all moral, educational and religious questions — he stood with the best
element and for that which was for the moral, intellectual, material and re-
ligious advancement of the community. AMiile not a communicant of any
church, he was always loval to the Methodist church — that in which he was
reared — and in all cases of emergency, especially of a financial kind, he was
regularly taken into its councils.
"His domestic relations were the most pleasant — in fact, ideal. The
](.\e, respect, confidence and esteem manifested bv each of the family toward
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 467
all the others was sublime, while he and his two sons constituted a brother-
hood of three big boys, with grave doubts as to the oldest.
"Persons here at his own home, at his old home in Brazil, at Indianapo-
lis, can testify to his benevolent acts, kindnesses shown and favors bestowed.
"The highest tribute T have heard since his death, and I have heard
many, was by one who had gone down into the valley of adversity, but had
regained his standing, as his body was put in the hearse at the station, said
'There is the best friend I ever had," and this could be truthfully said bv
scores of others of this community."
President William Lowe Bryan, of Indiana Universitv, paid the follow-
ing tribute :
"He was my friend, ^^'e were friends without capitulation on either
side. We did not always agree. Some of our differences we scarcelv or
never touched. In other cases we talked them out. I remember those talks
with deep satisfaction. For even when \vc arrived at ultimate disagreements
we looked each other in the eyes and kne\\- that we were friends. No friend-
ship is worth while which cannot meet the test. In most cases, however, when
we met we were on the same side. The basis of our agreement was deep. We
shared together a great affection — for a cause.
"This strong man was a strong lover of manv things and persons. He
loved his business. He lo\-ed the Republican party. He loved Abraham
Lincoln with religious passion. He lo\-ed his friends, right or wrong, and
fought for them at his own peril. He loved, above all, his home and familv.
But short of that supreme attraction, the one great sentiment nf his life was
love for Indiana L'^^niversity.
"It is a historic fact that every part of the school svstem of Indiana
provided for in the original constitution has had to fight iov its life. In
1848, after a hard-fought campaign, the free common scho(il svstem won bv
a majority of only six per cent, of the total vote. The free public high school
had a less conspicuous, but no less real, battle for recognition and has onlv
been fully established in law within the past ten vears. It is not strange,
therefore, that the higher institutions of learning have had their share in the
struggle for the 'complete system of schools ascending in regular gradation
from the township schools to the State University.' The crisis between life
and death which faced the common school system in 1848 has faced the Uni-
versity of the State again and again. It is easv to look back upon those crises
as a matter of history. But to live through them — to be on the spot — to be
there in the desperate moment of doubtful decision — to feel singly responsible
468 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
for the life or death of the University of the State — with all its past, with
all its future — that was not easy. But that was what our friend again and
again did for us and for the people of Indiana. Again and again he stood in
the imminent deadh' breach, like Richard of the Lion Heart, with his battle-ax
refusing the possibility of defeat. If this university stands today, realizing
the hopes of the makers of the constitution, accepted now as the entire system
of which it is a part, is now accepted by the whole people as one of the chief
glories of the state, this is due to no man living or dead more than to him
whose body lies before us in silence.
"Now, l)ecause he fought for the university, he loved it: and because he
loved the university, his whole relation to it was ennobled.
"As a man of affairs he was accustomed, like other men, to seek his ad-
vantage in business and politics. But he did not seek them at the expense of
Indiana University. To take a single illustration, if he has ever suggested
the appointment or removal of any man in the faculty or of any one in our
corps of working men on personal or political grounds I have never discov-
ered it. I have known the men of this university since the days of Doctor
Nutt — trustees, teachers, students and alumni — and I say that there are few
of them who have given more or asked less than he: few who have risen to
the decision of university questions with less selfishness, witli greater
magnanimity, with less of the spirit of the hireling or with more of the spirit
of the shepherd and the father. * * * My friends, in a little while we
shall all 1)e gone and presently quite forgotten. But our work and our af-
fections are preserved in the institutions to which we have devoted them.
Here, therefore, is the monument which he shares. Not yonder in the cemetery,
but here upon this campus. Here, in these stones which his labor and his
devotion helped to assemble. Here, in this university where the lioys of today
and tomorrow may have their chance."
I. W. Fesler, a trustee of Indiana University: "Of IMr. HiU's work as a
member of the board of trustees of the university I would not assume to
speak in detail at this hour. That every member of the board has instinctive-
ly turned to him upon every important question that has come l-)efore it. and
always with benefit, is but statement of fact. 'AVhat do you think of this,
Mr. Hill?' has been a frequent question from us all. And Mr. Hill's answer
generally suggested the action of the board. His wide experience as a success-
ful man of affairs, his wisdom, his courage, his absolutely unselfish and tire-
less devotion to the cause of the university made him invalualile in any
emergency and an inspiration to us who shared with him the responsibilities
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 469
of membership upon this board. That the board of trustees has now sus-
tained an irreparable loss is not a common-place when spoken today of Mr.
Hill. He stands out conspicuously alone in that part of the life of the uni-
A'-ersity with which he has been associated. No soldier ever fought for his
flag more devotedly, more loyally, than he fought for thirty years for this
institution. No priest of religion ever had more implicit faith in his creed
than nur friend had in his Alma Mater.
"In time a marble shaft will mark the place on yonder hill where our
friend shall sleep. But here in this beautiful campus, purchased largely
through his efforts ; here, where every building is. in a sense, a monument to
him — for there is no building here that does not represent the money, and
time, and effort of Mr. Hill; here, amid these beautiful and inspiring sur-
roundings, his spirit will abide and his influence will remain. The memory
of such a man, appreciated at its worth, is the most valuable and enduring
legacy that can come to our beloved university.
"Great, big, broad-shouldered, warm-hearted, generous friend; tender
as a woman's love, gentle and forgiving as a child, sincere and earnest as
youth itself; modest, unassuming, unconscious of your commanding strength
— ^you have stood four-square to every wind, you have fought a good fight,
you have kept the faith. Hail and Farewell."
President Joseph Swain, of Swarthmore College ; "He had one of the
most forceful personalities of any man T have ever known. To have a clear
conviction with him was to act. No one had any doubt as to where he stood
when his convictions were formed. He showed his resolution in his face, in
his eyes and in his every act, and a large body of men were ready to follow
him.
"He had a remarkable tenderness of heart. Tt was said of a friend of
mine here at Swarthmore that he had the head of a man and the heart of a
boy. This could have been truly said of Nat. U. Hill. Any one who has had
close and confidential relations with him can recall manv occasions when he
shed tears of sympathy or of joy over a recollection of some passing event-
No boy or man ever came to him in distress but he found help.
"He knew human nature. No one understood it better. H he desired
to convert a man to his way of thinking, his knowledge of human nature was
such that he rarely made a mistake.
"He had a scientific mind, though he was not so much a student of things
as of men. He was sure of his facts. He was never caught napping in his
field. He never claimed for anything more than the facts would warrant.
470 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
"He was a man of unquestioned courage. He knew no such thing as
personal fear. He did not like a fight, but opponents of his in p(^litics or in
business knew what to expect if the lines were drawn. He never asked nor
gave quarter. Yet if he found he had made a mistake, no one was quicker
to apologize and undo what he had done.
"He was loyal to his friends and to any one cause in which he believed.
It was thoroughly understod that his promises were kept. He paid his obli-
gations and much more if it lay in his power."
Board of Trustees of Indiana University: "He was a man of convic-
tions— a positive force always for that in which he believed. He never op-
posed without reason, and his opposition was always positive, never negative.
He acted only after deliberation. He knew men and believed in them until
they gave him cause to distrust them. He seldom underestimated the strength
of opposition. He was, therefore, a man of unusually sound judgment.
"Unlike many men of his aggressive and positive character, no man was
ever more patient or more generous with those who opposed him, and none
was ever quicker to forgive and forget when the contest was over. All
these qualities had made Mr. Hill a most useful and helpful friend of the
university from his student days and his election by the state board of educa-
tion to membership on this board and his subsequent reelection have been
most fitting and deserved. He brought to the discharge of his duties here a
passionate love for the university, a devotion to its interests as unselfish and
as pure as ever inspired personal service, and unl)ounded faith in the future
of the university that have given him first place in the long line of the uni-
versity's friends.
"After the destructive fire of 1883, Mr. Hill was most active in ac-
complishing the piu'chase of the present beautiful campus and in preventing
the removal of the university from Bloomington. In the many close and
bitter contests for appropriations before our State Legislature during the past
twenty-five years, when failure might have meant the very life of the uni-
versity, no man was so tireless, sn persistent as he.
"Mr. Hill's interest in the material growth of the university was no
greater than his concern for the welfare of the student body and his active
interest in student affairs. We regret it is not possible to enumerate more
in detail the services of our associate and friend for the institution he so
much loved and so intelligently and loyally served, but we esteem it a privilege
now for us to pay him this tribute — that it was his high privilege to accom-
plish more for Indiana University than any friend who has yet passed by."
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 47I
Bloon]ington Telephone: "Mr. Hill has left his footprints in the political
sands of Indiana; he has left his name written high among those who have
done much for Bloomington in a business and linancial way. hut far greater
than either of these, he has left indelibly printed upon the hearts of hun-
dreds of his fellow men the memory of a man — a man who stood for all
things that were best at all times, a Republican and a patriot whose one motto
above all others was 'Loyalty.'
"Not only in Bloomington today were there heavy hearts at the iinal
parting, but all over the state and far away at the nation's capital, many a
man standing high among the nation's honored men in public life dropped a
silent tear to the memory of their friend. But it was not only these men who
stood high in the financial and political world that mourned, but from the
'boys in the trenches.' the school children of the city, the students of the
university, the colored peo]ile of the community, came expressions of deep
loss."
Beautiful tributes of respect were also paid by the Indiana Beta, Phi
Kappa Psi, the Indiana Beta. Phi Kappa Psi Alumni Association, the Repub-
lican county central committee, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
the senior law class of Indiana University. Monroe Lodge No. 22. Free and
Accepted Masons, all of whom expressed not only sympathy for the family in
their loss and sorrow, but also the loss which the county and the state sus-
tained in Mr. Hill's death.
WILLIAM LOWE BRYAN. A. M., Ph. D., LL. D.
Not too often can be repeated the life history of one who has lived so
honorable and useful a life and attained to such notable distinction as he whose
name appears at the head of this sketch, one of the most successful and dis-
tinguished educators that the state of Indiana has produced. His character
has been one of signal exaltation and purity of purpose. \Yt\\ disciplined in
mind, maintaining a vantagepoint from which life has presented itself in cor-
rect proportions, guided and guarded by the most inviolable principles of in-
tegrity and honor, simple and unostentatious in his self-respecting, tolerant
individuality, such a man could not prove other than a force for good in what-
ever relation of life he may have been placed. His character is the positive
expression of a strong nature and in studying his career interpretation follows
fact in a straight line of derivation, there being no need for indirection or
4/2 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
puzzling. His career has been a busy and useful one and his name is respected
by all who have had occasion to come into contact with him or who have
knowledge of his life work. .\s an educator Doctor Bryan stands in the front
rank in Indiana, and the cau^e of higher education in this state owes to him a
debt beyond human calculation. He has dignified and honored his profession,
for his life has ]>een one of consecration to his calling, and well does he merit a
place of honor in e\ery history touching upon the lives and deeds of those
who have given the best of their powers and talents for the betterment of
their kind.
William Lowe Bryan, president of Indiana State University since 1902,
is a native son of the old Hoosier state, having been born in Monroe county
on the nth of November, i860, and is the son of Rev. John and Eliza
(Philips) Brvan. The father, who was a minister in the United Presbyterian
church, held a number of pastorates in Indiana and Ohio and was counted
among the successful preachers of his church. In the larger affairs of the
church he was prominent and at various times served as moderator of church
courts. He was a graduate of Jefferson College and was a theologian of the
old school. The Bryan family has been long established in this country, the
emigrant ancestor having been John Bryan, who came to this country in about
1750. On the maternal side, the subject is also descended from sterling old
stock, his great-grandfather, David Philips, whose father came to America in
1750, having been a captain, and later a lieutenant-colonel in the Revolutionary-
war. His son, Enoch Philips, served with the rank of major in the war of
181 2. To Rev. John and Eliza Bryan were born the following children:
Elizabeth C. (^Irs. John A. Ramsay), Houston, Texas; Mary Belle (Mrs.
Joseph K. Philips), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Enoch A., president of Wash-
ington State College. Pullman, Washington; Jennie P., of Pittsburgh, Penn-
sylvania; Joseph C, who died in 1S98; William Lowe, subject of this sketch;
three sons died in childhood.
William Lowe Bryan secured his elementaiy training in the district
schools of his home neighborhood, followed by attendance in the public
schools of Bloomington. He then entered the preparatory department of the
State University, and graduated from the university in 1884. During prac-
tically all of his school career Mr. Bryan was a leader in his studies and also
took an active part in athletics, having been a member of the university base-
ball team several years. During that period also he conducted the college
paper. The Indiana Student. In the meantime he had been engaged in teach-
ing school at Grayville, Illinois, where he gained his first experience as an
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 473
instructor. After his graduation, IMr. Bryan was appointed an instructor in
the preparatory school of the university, but before the close of that year he
was transferred to tlie university staff as instructor in Greek. The following
year, 1885, he was made associate professor of philosophy, and during 1886-7
he was a student in the University of Berlin. On his return from Germany,
he was made professor of philosophy, in which capacity he continued until
1902. when he was chosen president of the university. He was vice-president
of the institution from 1893 up to the time of his selection to the pre'sidency.
Intensely optimistic, conservatively enthusiastic and untiring in his energy,
Doctor Bryan brought to the presidency a mind and bodv both well fitted for
the complex duties connected therewith, for, be it emphasized, the office of
president of a great institution like this is no sinecure. The growth of Indiana
University since Doctor Bryan became president is the highest testimonial
that could possibly be paid to his ability and foresight as an executive and to
his eminent standing as a broad-minded, scholarly and progressive educator.
Since assuming the responsible position which he now so worthily holds and
so signally honors, the advancement of the university has kept pace with the
leading institutions of the kind in the United States, tlie attendance increasing
from thirteen hundred and thirty- four in 1902 to approximately twentv-six
hundred in 19 12, while the number and capacity of the buildings have been
increased, the value of the university property materially advanced, and
several new departments added, including those of medicine and commerce.
The faculty now numbers about one hundred persons, among whom are some
of the leading educators of the country, in their special lines of work, no pains
being spared in securing the best ability obtainable in order to keep the insti-
tution at the high standard to which it has been raised under the present
administration. Admittedly one of the best schools in the land. Indiana
State University's reputation is so high and its work so thorough that many
students are attracted to its walls every year from other states. Doctor
Bryan has always stood for the highest grade of work in the class room,
economy in the use of the public funds and thoroughness in all matters com-
ing within the sphere of his authority. He exercises the greatest care over
the buildings and grounds, looks after the comfort and welfare of the
students, and, being proud of the university and jealous of its good name and
honorable reputation, it is easily understood why he enjoys such great popu-
larity with all connected with the institution and is so w^ell and favorably
known in educational circles throughout the country.
Doctor Bryan has been identified with the State University for thirty
474 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
years, eleven years of the time as its chief executive. Wliile professor of
philosophy, he did much scientific work, made many important researches
and discoveries, especially in the realm of psychology, and gave the results
of his investigations to the world in a number of scholarly papers and treatises,
published in this country and in periodicals abroad. In conjunction with G.
Stanley Hall, he was a leader in the movement for the scientific study of
children, and made some early addresses on this subject, both prophetic and
conservative, which attracted considerable attention at the time and brought
to him recognition as an educator and thinker. He was a pioneer in this
state in experimental psycholog}', a department of science in which he has been
a persistent and enthusiastic investigator. In 1888 he purchased some appa-
ratus and carried on research work with his advanced students, and in 1892.
on his return from Clark University, where he had spent a year, he established
a laboratorv which soon ranked among the best anywhere, and, under his
guidance, the laboratoiy has grown until it now occupies fourteen rooms and
possesses a splendid equipment. In 1900- 1 President and Mrs. Bryan so-
journed in Paris and Wurzburg, studying psycholog}-, one fruit of whkh work
is an unpublished series of addresses on the psychology of occupations, espe-
cially in relation to education. President Bryan's published works embrace the
following: "Psychology at Indiana University," in American Journal of Psy-
chology, Vol. Ill, pages 283-2S4 (April, 1890) : "On the Development of
Voluntarv Motor Ability," in American Journal of Psychology, Vol. V, pages
125-204 (November, 1802) ; "Auditory and Visual Memory in School Chil-
dren," in Proceedings of the International Educational Association (1893) :
"Child Study: Systematic and Unsystematic," in Proceedings Department of
Superintendents (1895), Proceedings National Educational Association,
pages 412-418 (1805) ■ "O" tile ^lethods and Results of Child Study," article
in lohnson's Encyclopedia: "Science and Education," in Proceedings National
Education Association, pages 161-165 (1895) ; "Scientific and Non-Scientific
Methods of Child Studv." in Proceedings National Educational Association,
pages 856-860 (1896): "Studies on the Physiology and Psychology of the
Telegraphic Language," (with Noble Harter) in Psychological Reviezv, Vol.
IV, pages 27-53 (Tanuary, 1897); "Hygiene of Motor Development," in
Proceedings of Department of Superintendents, National Educational Asso-
ciation for 1897; "Report of a Special Committee on the Organization of a
Committee on School Hygiene"; "Plato the Teacher: being Selections from
the Apology, Euthydemus, Protagoras, Symposium, Phaedrus, Republic and
Phaedo of Plato," edited with introduction and notes (joint author with Mrs.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 475
Charlotte Lowe Bryan), New York, 1897, 454 pages: "The Rci)iilihc of
Plato, with Studies for Teachers," (joint author with Mrs. Charlotte Lowe
Bryan), New York, 1898, 313 pages; "Studies on the Telegraphic Language.
The Acquisition of a Hierarchy of Habits," (joint author with Noble Harter) ,
in Psychological Rcviezv. Vol. VL pages 345-375 (July, 1899) ; "Science in
the Daily Press" (joint author with Ernest H. Lindley), in Science, new
series, Vol. XL page 74 (1900) ; "An Arithmetical Prodigy" (joint author
with E. H. Lindley), in Proceedings American Psychological Association for
1900, and in Psychological Rrz-icin'. Vol. \^n, page 135 (1900) ; "The Case
of Arthur Griffith. Arithmetical Prodigy" (joint author with E. H. Lindley),
in Compte rendu du Congres International de Psychologie tenu a Paris, 1900,
page 178; "Theory and Practice," President's address, American Psycholog-
ical Association, St. Louis meeting, Decemlier, 1003, in Psychological Reviezv,
Vol. XI, pages 71-82 (March, 1904). The works mentioned above, however,
do not by any means represent adequately the activities of President Bryan's
busy years, for much of his original research work has never been published
to the world. He has a justifiable pride in the position occupied by Indiana
University in research and study, her record in the field of psychology being
excelled by only five colleges in this country.
President Bryan has been honored by many scientific and educational
societies in this country, among which preferments have been the following:
Secretary of the first Child Study Association, organized at Chicago in 1893;
member of the Herbart Society; member of council of the National Educa-
tional Association ; president of the American Psychological Association,
1903-4; president of Indiana State Teachers' Association, 1904: vice-president
of the section of higher education. National Educational Association, 1904,
and president of this section in 1905 ; president of the American Association
of State Universities, 1911-12: Fellow of the American Academy of Science;
trustee of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; honor-
ary member of the Phi Beta Kappa ; he was also a charter member and the
first president of the Indiana chapter of the Sigma Zi frtaernity. President
Bryan has been the recipient of the following honorary degrees: Bachelor of
Arts, Indiana University. 1884; Master of Arts, 1886; Doctor of Philosophy,
Clark University, 1892: Doctor of Laws, University of Illinois. 1904, and
Hanover College, 1908.
On July 13. 1889, William Lowe Bryan was married to Charlotte A.
Lowe, the daughter of Charles G. and Sophia E. Lowe, of Indianapolis. Mrs.
Bryan is a graduate of Indiana University, Bachelor of Arts. 1888, Master
476 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of Arts, 1889, and is joint author with Doctor Bryan of ''Plato the Teacher,"
and "Plato's Republic."
Religiously, President and INIrs. Bryan are members of the United
Presbyterian church, and are earnest and faithful in their observance of their
religious obligations and privileges. Personally, President Bryan is genial
and easily approached and enjoys to a marked degree the confidence of all who
are thrown into contact with him. Though first of all an educator and mak-
ing his work as such paramount to every other consideration, he has not been
remiss in his duty to the community in which he resides, nor unmindful of his
obligations as a citizen. Thoroughly abreast of the times on the leading
questions and issues concerning which men and parties divide, he is not a
strict partisan, and, particularly in local affairs, gives his support to the best
qualified candidates, irrespective of party ties. Though now only in the early
prime of life, he has achieved success such as only few attain, but, not satis-
fied with past results, he is pressing forward to still wider fields and higher
honors, although his place among the eminent men of his day and generation
is secure for all time to come.
JOSEPH R. VORIS.
The two most strongly marked characteristics of both the East and the
West are combined in the residents of Indiana. The enthusiastic enterprise
which overleaps all obstacles and makes possible almost any undertaking in
the comparatively new and vigorous Western states is here tempered by the
stable and more careful policy that we have borrowed from our Eastern
neighbors, and the combination is one of unusual force and power. It has
been the means of placing this section of the country on a par with the older
East, at the same time producing a reliability and certainty in business affairs
which is frequently lacking in the West. This happy combination of char-
acteristics is possessed to a notable degree by the subject of this review,
Joseph R. Voris. of Bedford. He is too well known to the readers of this
work to need any formal introduction here, for he not only comes of a
family whose name is deeply engraved in the financial, commercial, profes-
sional and industrial history of this section of the state, but he himself is
filling a large place in the public affairs of this community. Recognized as
a man of strong and alert mentality, deeply interested in everything pertain-
ing to the welfare of the community along material and civic lines, he is
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 477
regarded as one of the progressive and enterprising men of his city and
county.
Joseph R. Voris was born in Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana, on the
13th of September, iS6(), and is the son of Archibald C. and Antoinette
(Rawhns) Voris. Specific mention is made of CoL Archibald C. Voris
elsewhere in this work, therefore it is not deemed necessary to give details
of his life history at this point, further than to say that he was. during his
active }ears, one of the most prominent and iniiuential figures in the devel-
opment and growth of this community, being identified with many of the
county's leading enterprises, l)esides v.hich he Imd attained to an eminent
standing as a lawyer. Joseph R. Voris attended the public schools of Bed-
ford, completing his general studies in Hanover College. He then entered
upon the study of law at Northwestern University, and during 1887-8 he
read law in the office of Robert T. Lincoln, at Chicago. Li the latter year
Mr. Voris entered the law department of Harvard University, where he
remained two years. In 1S90 he returned to Bedford and became cashier
of the Citizens National Bank, performing the duties of that position until
the death of his father, in 191 1, when he was elected to succeed the latter as
president. Lie has, by his earnest efforts and sound judgment, contributed
in a definite degree to the splendid success which has characterized this insti-
tution and is held in high regard by his associates. He was also one of the
organizers and is a director of the Citizens Lrust Company of Bedford,
besides wliich he has some banking and financial interests elsewhere. He
was president of the Indiana Bankers' Association in 1908-9, and is at present
a member of the executive council of the American Bankers" Association,
being one of the two members from Indiana. Mr. Voris was for twenty years
secretary, and later president, of the Bedford Light, Heat and Power Com-
pany, which was recently sold to the Middle \\'est Utilities Company, of
Chicago. In all these enterprises Mr. Voris has been a moving spirit and
influential factor, demonstrating business and executive ability of a high
order.
In civic affairs Mr. Voris has taken a large interest and was one of the
organizers of the Bedford public library, of which he has served as secretary
since its organization. He was a member of the first Indiana public library
commission board and assisted in the organizatiou of that body, which has
done so much for the library interests of the state. Politically, Mr. Vori^
gives his support to the Republican party, while his fraternal affiliations are
with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Free and Accepted
Masons, having attained to tlie thirtv-second dceree of the Scottish rite in
478 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the last-named order. Socially, he is a memher of the Sigma Chi college
fraternity.
On Octolier 3, 1900, Mr. Voris was married to Katherine Dunlap Wake-
field, the daughter of James IM. Wakefield, of Washington, Indiana, and to
them ]ia\e l)een liorn two children, Elizaheth W. and Archiliald C.
T. T'. TOURNER, M. D.
Notwithstanding the long strides that have been made in the practice of
the healing art within the past half century, the discovery of medical proper-
ties in hundreds of vegetable and mineral substances that not many years ago
were mit included in materia medica as remedies, or barely mentioned in the
pharmacopeia, or laid dormant as far as the dispensary is concerned ; not-
withstanding the charlantancy practiced by adventurers in the legitimate prac-
tice of the art, and the quacks that claimed particular and special gifts in the
treatment of human ills; and notwithstanding the fact that legislatures have
found it necessary to regulate the general practice by tlie expulsion of diplo-
maless pretenders and the registration of legitimate and truly scientific physi-
cians, there are some of the latter who have risen to eminence within the
field of their actual laljors, and among these is tlie subject of this sketch,
whose career has Ijeen that of a true and conscientious worker in the sphere
to which he has devoted Ids life and energy, and wdio possesses a profound
knowledge of medicine and surgery.
Tlie state of Kentucky has sent to Indiana luany representatives of their
best families, among which is tlie family of which the subject of this sketch
is a representati\e. Dr. J. P. Tourner, to whom belongs the distinction of
having practiced his pr()fes>ion longer at Bloomin.gton than any other physi-
cian now here, was born at Hopkins\ille, Kentucky, on ]\larch 25, 1854, and
is the son of Dr. Henry P. and Frances (^Morgan) Tourner. His mother
was a member of the noted Gen. Daniel Morgan family of Carolina. Henry
P. Tourner, who for a half century was a prominer.t and successful physician,
had practiced at .\ashvillc, Tennessee; Hopkins\-ille, Kentucky, and Bloom-
ington, Indiana, his death occurring in the latter city in 1881. He was a na-
tive of Ireland, where he had rcceixed a splendid literary education, and after
coming to this countrv procured his professional training in Lexington, Ken-
tuckv. The subject's mother died on March 17, i()o8. To these parents were
])orn eight children, seven of whom are li\ing, namely; Henry P., a watch-
maker and ieweler in Bloomington ; j. P., the immediate su])iect of this sketch;
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 479
Sarah, who died in 1911. was the wife «^f AA'ilhain (liles; C. J., a merchant
tailor in Bloomington ; Ella, the wife of Dr. S. E. Meek, of Chicago; Erank P.,
a physician at Bloomington: Howard M., who is a watch-maker and jeweler
with his brother, Henry P., of Bloomington; Anna B., who has devoted her
life to educational work, is a teacher in Korea, having charge of the Metho-
dist Episcopal high school there. Dr. Henry P. Tourner was a Whig in early
life, but later his political views changed and he became aligned with the
Democratic party. He was an active member of the Masonic order for fifty
years, while in the Baptist church, of which he was also a member for many
years, he took a deep interest and held the office of deacon.
The subject of this sketch received a good ])ractical common school edu-
cation in Bloomington, being a graduate of the high school, and then for a
time attended a private school here. Having determined to follow in his
father's footsteps and devote his life to the liealing art, he attended medical
lectures in the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati in 1S76-7, after which he
entered upon the acti\e practice of his profession at Bloomington, in which
he has been engaged for thirty-six years, being thus the dean of the profession
in this localit}'. Through a long and busy life, replete with honor and suc-
cess worthily attained, Doctor Tourner has been actuated by only the highest
motives and to the ])ractice of his profession he has brought rare skill and
resource, such (pialities stam])ing him as a man of unusual talent and enti-
tling him to lie classed with the benefactors of mankind. His (|uick i:)ercep-
tion and almost intuitix'e judgment have rendered him especially strong in
diagnosis, though ever willing to lend any aid or suggestion. He makes a
specialty of physical diagnosis and internal niedicine, in l)oth of which he has
enjoyed phenomenal success. Throughout his busv life he has ever been a
hard and enthusiastic student, thus keeping well abreast of the times, for he
has realized that in the science of medicine, as in all other departments of
modern research, there ha\-e l)een constant and stead\- adx'auces and disco\'-
eries. The Doctor lias l)een \'ery successful in his large practice during the
years and because of liis ahility and his high personal character he enjoys a
high standing among his professional cijlleagues and the people generally.
He has served as secretary of the county board of health, and has also been
a member of the board of ])ension examiners, tliough not amliitious for any
office.
In 1877 Doctor Tourner was married to Amanda Buskirk. the daughter
of William H. Buskirk, of this county, a member of one of the locality's old
families. Politically, the Doctcjr is an ardent supporter of the Democratic
party, while, fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the
480 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Free and Accepted ]\Iasons, in the latter order liaving taken all the degrees
of the "^'ork rite, inchiding those of Knight Tempiar. Personally, he is a man
of kindly and genial inipnises and has endeared himself to a large and con-
stantly widening circle of friends and acquaintances.
WILLIAM N. SHOWERS.
Among the worthy citizens of Bloomington, Indiana, whose residence
here has contributed in no small degree to the prestige of the vicinity, is
William N. Showers, for, ^\•hile laboring for his individual advancement, he
has never forgotten his obligations to the pul:)lic and his support of such mea-
sures and mo^■ements as have been made for the general good has always been
depended upon. Although his life has been a busy one, his private affairs
making heavy demands upon his time, he has never allowed it to interfere
with his obligations as a citizen and neighbor. Through the long years of his
residence in this locality, he has ever been true to the trusts reposed in him,
whether of a public or private nature, and his reputation in a business way
has been unassailable. Possessing in a marked degree those sterling traits
which have commanded uniform confidence and regard, he is todav honored
by all wdio know him and is numbered among the representati-\'e men of his
section of the state.
William N. Showers was born in Ohio, on May 28, 1S46, and is a son
of Charles C. and Elizabeth (Hull) Showers. His father, who was a native
of Pennsylvania, followed the furniture business during his earlier years of
active business life, but in later years became a minister in the Methodist
Episcopal church. He came to Alonroe county, Indiana, in April, 1854, and
here spent the remainder of his life. Politically, he was a stanch Republican,
but never an office seeker. To him and his wife were born the following
children: Sara is the wddow of John Sears; Mary is the wife o.f Tames M.
Hendricks, and lives in Louisville, Kentucky; J. D. is represented in a per-
sonal sketch elsewdiere in this work; AA'illiam N. is the immediate subject of
this sketch; Martha L. became the \vife of Francis M. Ingler, of Indianapolis;
Anna became the wnfe of Henry IT. Houston, of Bloomington; Charles H. is
deceased.
William N. Showers received a good practical education and on reaching
mature years became identified with his brother, J. D. Showers, in the furni-
ture manufacturing business at Bloomington. an industrv which, through
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 481
their enterprising methods and successful management, has enjoyed a steady
and constant growth through the years until now it is the largest manufac-
turing establishment of the kind in the United States. Over one thousand
people are employed in the plant of this company, which embraces over fifteen
acres of floor space. Many high priced and expert workmen are employed
and the company makes a specialty of bed-room furniture, in which they are
not excelled by any factory in the country. The Showers factory has for
many years enjoyed an envialjle reputation among the great manufacturing
concerns of the state and has played a veiy prominent and important part in
the financial prosperity of Bloomington.
Aside from his interests already mentioned, Mr. Showers is also inter-
ested in a number of other enterprises of importance, being a stockholder and
a director of the First National Bank of Bloomington, as well as of the
Citizens Loan and Trust Company and the Building and Loan Association,
and is also identified with the Sterling Fire Insurance Company and the Amer-
ican ^ilortgage. Loan and Guarantee Company, Imth of Indianapolis. He is
a man of mature judgment, ripe experience and wise discrimination, and his
advice in matters of business is held in high regard by his associates.
Politically, Mr. Showers is an earnest supporter of the Republican party
and for seven 3^ears served as a member of the city council of Bloomington,
where he rendered effective service in the interest of the city of his residence.
Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which for
thirty years he has been active, being at the present time chairman of the-
board of stewards and giving his support to every enterprise of the church.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has attained
to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and is a member of the Mystic
Shrine, as well as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of
Pythias, in the work of which orders he takes an appreciative interest.
In 1868 Mr. Showers was united in marriage with Hannah L. Hend-
ricks, of Putnam county, this state, a daughter of John H. Hendricks, now
deceased, who during his active life was a successful farmer and miller. To
Mr. and Mrs. Showers have been born three children, namely: Jennie, the
wife of Joseph Smith, who is associated with Mr. Showers in the furniture
business; Nellie is the wife of Sanford Teeter who is secretary and treasurer
of the company ; W. Edward, who is vice-president and general manager of
the Showers Brothers plant. Personally, Mr. Showers is a man of genial and
unassuming demeanor in his relations with his fellow men, among whom he
(31)
482 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
enjoys a well deserved popularit}'. He has, without reserve, always stood for
the best things in the life of the community honored by his residence and here
his name has become a synonym for character and worth.
THOMAS T. BROOKS.
One of the distinctive functions of this publication is to take recognition
of those citizens of the commonwealth of Indiana who stand eminentl)' rep-
resentative in their chosen spheres of endeavor, and in this connection there
is absolute propriety in according consideration to Thomas J. Brooks, of
Bedford, who has not only attained to an enviable standing in the legal pro-
fession, but is also numbered among the leaders in the commercial life of
Lawrence county, having for a number of years been at the head of one of
the strongest and most influential financial institutions of the C(jnnty, while
in political and civic life he is a prominent figure.
Thomas J. Brooks is a native son of Indiana, having been born in Loo-
gootee, Martin county, on the 22d of April, 1857. He is the son of Lewis
and Amanda M. (Crooks) Brooks, both of whom also were natives of Mar-
tin county. Mr. Brooks is descended from a sterling old line of English
ancestry, his paternal line being traced back to Thomas Brooks, who, in 1635,
came from London, England, with Rev. Bulkeley, who founded the town of
Concord, Massachusetts. Lewis Brooks, the subject's father, was a successful
farmer and also was engaged in the mercantile business. During the Civil war
he enlisted in defense of his country, becoming colonel of the Eighteenth Regi-
ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served valiantly
for three years. His death occurred in 1913, his wife having passed away
in 1S93. They were the parents of the following children: Thomas J., the
immediate subject of this review; Susan, who still resides in Martin county;
Mrs. Anna Schwey, of Martin county ; Mrs. Amanda Hacker, of Martin
county; Lewis, of Vincennes, this state; William P., of Bedford; Emma, also
of Martin county; Horace G., of Louisville. Kentucky; Daniel, of M'artin
county, and May, A\ho is deceased.
Thomas J. Brooks received his early education in the common schools of
his native county, and then was student for some time in the National Nor-
mal School at Lebanon, Ohio. At the age of nineteen years he began teaching
school and for four years was thus employed in Martin county. In the mean-
time he had formed a determination to make the practice of law his life work
LAWRENCE AND AIONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 483
and, to this end, had been devotuig his spare time to the study of Kent,
Blackstone and other great authorities in the science of jurisprudence. In
1882 he entered upon the active practice of that profession in Shoals, Indiana,
and in 1892 came to Bedford and opened a law office. He continued in the
practice in Bedford alone for two years and then formed a partnership with
his brother, William F. Brooks, under the firm name of Brooks & Brooks,
which for many years has been recognized as one of the strongest and most
successful law firms of I.awrence county. The subject is generally recog-
nized in this part of the state as a lawyer of unusual attainments and he has
been connected as counsel, on one side or the other, with most of the impor-
tant litigation tried in the local courts. Mr. Brooks is local attorney for the
Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway Company and the Chicago, Terre
Haute «& Southeastern Railway Company and has served as attorney for the
city of Bedford, and as attorney for Lawrence county for the past eighteen
years.
Though a busy man professionally, Mr. Brooks has found time to take
an active part in business affairs and, on December 19, 1905, he was elected
president of the Bedford National Bank, of Bedford, of which he had been
a director since its organization, in 1899. The capital stock of the bank was
at first fifty thousand dollars, but has since been increased to one hundred
thousand dollars, with surplus and undivided profits of thirty-five thousand
dollars, the institution having been for many years one of the important and
influential factors in the prosperity and growth of Bedford and Lawrence
county. In February. 1896, ^Nlr. Brooks acquired a half interest in the
Bedford Mail, one of the popular and influential newspapers of this county
and which has proven a good business investment. Daily and weekly edi-
tions are published and in 191 2 the plant was installed in a splendid new
building, being equipped with modern and up-to-date machinery. The Mail
is Republican in politics and is one of the most readable and popular sheets
published in this section of the state.
Politically, Mr. Brooks is a Republican and for many years has been a
prominent figure in the councils of his party. Fie has been a member of the
state central committee and representative of this district in the State Senate.
He took a prominent part in the organization of the Bedford Library Asso-
ciation and has been president of its board of trustees since its organization
in 1897. Ill niany other ways he has shown a commendable interest in the
welfare of his adopted city and has been numbered among her leading and
progressive citizens. Mr. Brooks' religious affiliations are with the Metho-
dist Episcopal- church, to the support of which he is a liberal contributor.
484 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
On August 13, 1S92, Mr. Brooks was united in marriage with Lorabel
Wallace, the daughter of Armstrong and Sarah (Tomey) Wallace. Her
father was a descendant of Rev. John Wallace, a native of Virginia, who
fought in the Revolutionar)- war, and in 1808 settled in Daviess county. To
j\Ir. and Mrs. Brooks has been born a daughter, May, who will graduate
from Smith College, at Northampton, Massachusetts, in June, 19 14.
Personally, Mr. Brooks is a man of genial disposition and kindly im-
pulses, characteristics which have won for him a large ctrcle of warm and
loyal friends, and he is eminently deserving of the high standing which he
eniuvs in the communitv-
IKJN. WliXlA^l HAMILTON MARTIN.
Indiana has always been distinguished for the high rank of her bench
and liar. Perhaps none of the newer states can justly boast of abler jurists
or attorneys. Many of them have been men of national fame, and among
lliosc whose li\es ha\e been passed on a quieter plane there is scarcely a town
or city in the slate but that can boast of one or more lawyers capable of
crossing swords in forensic combat with many of the distinguished legal
lights of the country, \\hile the growth and development of the state iji
the last half century has been most marvelous, viewed from any standpoint,
\et of no one class of her citizenship has she greater reason for just pride
than her judges and attorneys. In Judge Martin are found united many of
the rare qualities which go to make the successful lawyer and jurist. He
possesses perhaps few of those brilliant, dazzling, meteoric ciualities which
have sometimes hashed along the legal horizon, riveting the gaze and blinding
the vision for the moment, then disappearing, leaving little or no trace behind;
but rather has those solid and more substantial qualities which shine with a
constant luster, shedding light in the dark places with steadiness and contin-
uity.
William PI. Martin, ex-judge of the tenth judicial circuit and one of
the most prominent attorneys of tlie Lawrence county bar, was born on May
7, 1848, at Salem, Washington county, Indiana, and is the son of Roger and
IMartha E. (Cornell) Martin, the former a native of Ireland, born near Lake
Killarney on June 22, 1805, while his wife was born in Lynchburg, Virginia,
on June 15, 1818. Roger Martin ran away from home in his boyhood and
worked his way across the Atlantic as a sailor boy, being but sixteen years
of age when he arrived in this country. He first located in Baltimore, Mary-
LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 4S5
land. He was variouslv employed and. being ambitious to succeed, he care-
fully husbanded his earnings and in 1S34 decided to come West, making the
long and tiresome trip overland to Salem, Indiana, where he engaged in the
mercantile business. He was thus engaged until the building of the old Xew
Albany & Salem Railroad, when he entered the employ of that company,
principally as road master. He was a faithful and competent employee and
remained with that road imtil the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, when
he gave practical evidence of his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting
in the Fifty-third Regiment Indiana \'olunteer Infantry, in which he received
a commission as major. With this regiment he took part in a number of the
hardest-fought battles of the war and eventually was detailed to recruit the
Sixty-sixth Indiana Regiment. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of
the latter regiment and later was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment,
with which he served until the close of the war. He was a faithful and
courageous soldier and his record was a creditable one in every respect.
On his return home. 'Sir. Martin again entered the employ ot the rail-
road, with whom he remained until his death, which occin-red in Jaiuiary,
1873. ^^^ ^^'^^ sin-vived a niuuber of years by his w idow, who died in March,
189O. They were the parents of twelve cb.ildrci. ot" which number five sur-
vive. naniel\- : Anna niul Jennie I... who are tnimarried and reside at Long
Beach. L'alitnmia; William 11.. of this -ketch; 1 ouis \\ and R^'bert S.. both
of whom are now in ( )ld Mexico. Roger ^lartin was a man of vigorous
intellect and. through nuich reading and study and habits ot close observation,
he became a man ot wide and accurate information. He was ,h rtTceiul and
eloquem speaker, ha\"ing wiMiderful control over his audiences, and he was
twice a candidate t\ir l^Migress in the old secoml Indiana district.
William 11. Martin received a gootl practical education in the common
schools of Salem, and in 1S04 he w eiu to Xew Albany. Indiana, where for
two years he was emiiloxed as a clerk, lie then entered the employ ot tlie
rennsyhania Railroad C'ompany as liookkeeper for the master mechanic of
the Pittsburgh division. In the suninier of iStv"^. at the age oi tweiuv vcars.
l\lr. Martin entered the law otVice o\ the late Judge iMank W'ils.Mi and (."olon.ol
A. C. A'oris. at P.edford. as a student o\ law. In Jiuie, iS(h). one month
after he had attained his majoritw he was admitted to the l>ar. and in the
following November he went \o I'at'li. Orange .-ounty. huliana, and entered
upon the practice oi his profession. In iS8c-> Mr. Martin leturned to P.edford
and has since remained here. ha\ing for nian\ years been numbered among
the leading legal practitioners oi Lawrence count\ . In recognitii'U oi his high
character ami eminent abilitv, he was elected to 'b.e bench oi the tenth judicial
circuit and assumed the duties oi his ot'tice in \\'\ ember, iSoo. for ihe term
486 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of six years. At the conclusion of his term Judge Martin re-entered the prac-
tice and has since been actively engaged therein. On leaving the bench, the
Judge formed a partnership with his son, William R. Martin, and Edward
K. Dye, a brilliant young lawyer who died in October, 1903, his place in the
firm being taken by Henry T. Pearson.
Aside from his profession, Judge Martin is interested in a number of
local enterprises, being president of the Citizens Trust Company of Bedford.
He has been a director, since its organization, of the Citizens National Bank,
and now is its counsel.
Judge Martin was well qualified for the bench, possessing integrity of
character, natural ability and the acumen of the judicial temperament. As a
judge he was able to divest himself of prejudice or favoritism and consider
only the legal aspects of a question involved. No labor was too great, how-
ever onerous; no application too exacting, however severe, if necessary to the
complete understanding and correct determination of a point submitted. His
record as a judge was also notable in that he was vigorous in his dispatch of
the business of his court. He was merciful when mercy seemed to be justified,
but he was equally relentless when there was undoubted evidence of crime,
and he sent two hundred and sixty-four men to prison or reformatory, a rec-
ord exceedeil in only two counties in this state. As a practitioner. Judge
Martin emi)li>ys none of the arts and tricks of oratory, but his speeches are
eloquent in the clearness of statement, tlie broad common sense of reasoning,
the force of logic, earnestness and power. His career on the bench and at
the bar ofl^ers an inspiration to the ycamg practitioner just entering upon his
life work, while he has never been known to fail in that strict courtesy and
regard for professional ethics which should ever characterize the members
of the bar.
On 'May 7, 1H74. William H Martin was married to Martha F. Dough-
erty, of Liberty. Missouri, and to them were born four children, only one of
whom survives, William R.. who, as stated above, is now a partner with his
father in the law ])ractice.
Fraternall}-, judge Martin belongs to the Masonic order, in which he
has taken all the degrees of the York rite and those of the Scottish rite up
to the thirty-second, and is also a meniljcr of the Independent Order of Odd
bellows. Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which
he is an elder. In the civic life of the community, the Judge has always taken
an active interest, giving his sui)port to all moveir.ents having for their object
the ad\ancement of the general welfare. Personally, he is a genial and
agreeable man to meet and enjoys a merited popularity among his acquaint-
ances.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 487
LAWRENCE B. SANDERS.
The men most influential in promoting the advancement of society and
in giving character to the times in which they Hve are two classes, to-wit, the
men of study and the men of action. Whether we are more indebted for
the improvement of the age to the one class or the other is a question of
honest difference in opinion ; neither class can be spared and both should
be encouraged to occupy their several spheres of labor and influence, zealously
and without mutual distrust. In the following paragraphs are briefly out-
lined the leading facts and characteristics in the career of a gentleman who
combines in his makeup the elements of the scholar and the energy of the
public-spirited man of affairs. Devoted to the noble and humane work of
teaching, he has made his influence felt in the school life of Lawrence county,
and is not unknown to the wider eduational circles of the state, occupying as
he does a prominent place in his profession and standing high in the esteem
of educators in other than his own particular field of endeavor.
Lawrence B. Sanders, the present popular and efficient county superin-
tendent of schools of Lawrence county, was born in the county in which he
now resides on November 19, 1877, and is the son of Warren A. and Sarah
A. { Voris) Sanders. The father, who was a native of Orange county, Indi-
ana, was a minister of the Gospel, having followed farming earlier in life.
He is still living and is a man of most excellent standing in his community.
He is a meml)er of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved
Order of Red Men. His father was a native of Kentucky who came to Indi-'
ana when young and here establishetl his ])ermanent home. The subject's
mother, who was a native of Orange county, Indiana, died in March, 1913.
She bore her husband two children, the subject of this sketch, and Mary
Frances, who is deceased.
Lawrence B. Sanders received his education in the common schools of
Lawrence county and then determined to prepare himself for pedagogical
work and entered the Southern Indiana Normal College at INIitchell, from
which he was graduated in i8g8. He immediateiv entered upon the vocation
for which he had prepared himself and as a teacher he immediateiv attained
to a pronounced success, his services being sought wherever a high standard
of education was required. In 1911 his abilities and high chai-acter were
recognized in his election to the office of countv superintendent of schools,'
of which he is the present incumbent and in which he has more than met the
expectations of his friends. He pursues his chosen calling with all the inter-
est of an enthusiast, thoroughly in harmonv with the spirit of the work and
has a proper conception of the dignity of tlie profession to which his life and
488 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
energies have been unselfishly devoted. A finished scholar, a polished gen-
tleman and possessmg the traits of character necessary to insure success, the
service thus far rendered and the laurels gained bespeak for him a wider and
more distinguished career of usefulness in years to come should he see fit to
continue the calling which he has heretofore followed with such signal suc-
cess. Unlike so manv of his calling who become narrovv and pedantic. Pro-
fessor Sanders is essentially a man of the times, broad and liberal in his
views and has the courage of his convictions on all the leading public ques-
tions and issues on which men and parties divide. He also keeps in touch
with the trend of modern thought along its various lines and, being a man of
scholarlv and refined tastes, is acquainted with the literature of the world in
genei-al, while his familiarity with the more practical affairs of the day makes
him feel at case with all classes and conditions of people with whom he meets.
On December 24, 1899, Professor Sanders was married to Effie S.
Trowbridge, the daughter of John and Mary (Taylor) Trowbridge, natives
of Kentucky, who came to Lawrence county, Indiana, in about 1866. To
Professor and [Mrs. Sanders ha\-e been born two children, Lois Gertrude and
Princess Ciarine. Politically, Professor Sanders is an ardent Democrat,
while his religious faith is embodied in the creed of the Baptist church, of
which he is a regular attendant arid to which he gives faithful service. Per-
sonallv. Professor Sanders is quite popular, possessing to a marked degree
the characteristics that win and retain warm friendship. By his kindness
and courtesy he has \\ on an al tiding jjlace in the esteem of his fellow citizens
and by his intelligence, energy and enterprising spirit has made his influence
felt during his residence in Lawrence C(^unty, occupying no small place in
the public favor.
SAMUEL CLELLAND DODDS.
It is the dictate of our nature, no less than of enlightened social policy,
to honor those whose lives have contributed in any way to the good of their
community and their associates; to lietlew with affectionate tears the silent
urn of departed worth and virtue: t(T unburden the fullness of the surcharged
heart in eulogium upon deceased benefactors, and to rehearse their noble
deeds for the benefit of those who may come after us. It has been the com-
mendalile custom of all ages and all nations. Hence the following feeble
tril)ute to one of nature's noblemen. In contemplating the many
estimable f|iialities of the late Samuel C. Dodds. integritv and industry
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 409
appear as prominent characteristics — an integrity that no personal or other
consideration could swerve, and an industry that knew no rest while anything
remained undone. When a given task was accomplished, he would throw
off all care, retire to his home and devote himself to domestic and social en-
joyments, for which he had the keenest zest and relish. His temper was
calm and equable, and his manners were emphatically those of the gentleman,
— plain, simple, dignified, — despising sham and pretense of all kinds. His
devotion to every duty was intense, while his perception of truth and worth
was almost intuitive. Although his life was a busv one, his private affairs
and his home making heavy demands upon his time, he never allowed it to
interfere with his Christian obligations or the faithful performance of his
church duties. Always calm and straightforward, never demonstrative, his
life was a steady effort for the worth of Christian doctrine, the purity and
grandeur of Christian principles and the beautv and elevation of Christian
character. He had the greatest sympathy for his fellow men and was always
ready to aid and encourage those wlio were struggling to aid themselves ; yet
in this, as in everything, he was entirely unassuming. When he believed he
was on the right path, nothing could swerve him from it; home life was a
secred trust and friendships were inviolable. He commanded the respect of
all classes by his exemplary life, and his memory will long be revered l>y his
many friends and acquaintances.
Samuel C. Dodds was born in the city of Bloomington, Indiana, on
January 28, 1854, and his death occurred suddenly at his home in this city
on April 23, 1913. He was the son of Clelland F. and ]\Iary (Orchard)
Dodds. Clelland Dodds, who was a native of Monroe county, Indiana, and
who during" his life was a prominent figure in business and civic life, was a
merchant, then turned his attention to farming, and during his later vears
followed the real estate and insurance business hi this citv, meeting with fair
success in his business affairs. He was the first ma}'or of the city of Bloom-
ington. He and his wife, who also was a native of Monroe countv, are
both deceased. They were the parents of twelve children, namely : Corinne,
Samuel C, Henry A., Ella B., Andrew J.. William, John, Morton, Cora L.,
Frederick, Carrie C. (deceased), Mattie N. and Flora.
Samuel C. Dodds received his elementary education in the public schools
of Bloomington, graduating from the high school, after which he took the
literary course in the State University, graduating and receiving his degree
in 1875, being only twenty years of age at that time. His first employment
was as a clerk for his brother-in-law, Newell Sanders, who later became
United States senator from Tennessee and now resides at Chattanooga, that
490 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
State. At the end of a year he bought the book store from Mr. Sanders and
ran it for nearly four years. SelHng the store, he was then, for about a year,
engaged in the lumber business, at the end of that period forming a partner-
ship with Showers Brothers and Henry Henley, under the firm name of
Showers, Dodds & Company, manufacturers of chairs, the plant being gen-
erally known as the North End Chair Factory. About a year later the firm
name was changed to Showers & Dodds, but on March 15, 1883, J. B. Wald-
ron bought a third interest in the business, the firm style being soon after-
wards changed to S. C. Dodds & Company. This partnership was main-
tained for about twelve years, when Mr. Dodds sold his interest in the busi-
ness to Showers Brothers. In 1894, upon the organization of the Monroe
County State Bank, Mr. Dodds was elected its cashier and continued to dis-
charge the duties of that position up to the time of his death. Though he
had not enjoyed perfect health for some time prior to his death, his condition
was not considered critical, and two days before his death he performed his
usual duties at the bank. Therefore the news of his sudden passing away
came as a profound shock to the entire community.
The funeral, which was one of the largest ever held in Bloomington,
was from the First Presbyterian church, which was filled with relatives and
hundreds of synipaihiziui;- antl sorn.jwing friends, l-'roni the sernK.m preached
by the pastor. Rev. John R. Ellis, the following words are quoted, not only as
a tribute to Mr. Dodds, but as a beautiful word picture of his character and
attainments : "Death is a solemn and mysterious event, come when it will
and to whom it may. An instinctive and undefinable sense of awe pervades
the reflectint;- mind when any human spirit passes into the belt of darkness,
long, low and distant, where 'Life tu come touches the life that is." The stroke
may fall sui'denly or l)e \nu',i delayed. But, come when it will, men re\-erently
bow their heads, as they hear the Voice and confess the presence of the great
God. The\- are hushed in silence by the nearness of the powers of the world
invisil)le. This sense of the presence of God in death is heightened and inten-
sified when a man dies in the vigor of his powers, who, by exalted purity of
personal character and unselfishness of life, faithfullv and loyally has served
his generation'. At such a time, and this is such a time, we stand so near to
the thin veil that separates mortals from immortals, time from eternity, that
the w hispers of God may lie heard by the children of men.
"When, on W^ednesday morning, through the parting folds of that thin
veil, our beloved brother was admitted to the 'General Assembly, the church
of the first born, whose names are written in heaven ^o God, the judge of all.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, iJSii/lANA. 49I
and to the spirits of just men made perfect,' not alone the home from whence
he has gone, but this church, that he loved, and this community, in which his
noble life was spent, felt the hallowing touch of the hand of God.
"In all the tributes to the memory of Mr. Dodds none sheds richer luster
upon his life than the beautiful testimony to a life-long loving chivalry, by
the sorrow stricken companion of his life, who, in the hour of deepest shadow
and shattering hammer strokes of fiercest grief, thinking of her beloved,
through blinding tears, sees the whiteness of his character, and feels deep
comfort in the message of the Master, a message tremulous with the wordless
mysticism of the Christian faith, 'Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall
see God.'
"This innermost utterance of the Sermon on the Mount suggests the key
to the whole life of our departed friend. I do not mean, this supreme benedic-
tion of our Master means the attainment of absolute perfection in this earthly
life. It does mean, perfection of aim. It does mean moral and spiritual
single-mindedness, freedom from all duplicity. A man of i)ure heart is one
whose will is set straight for God. * * * Mr. Dodds was, in and above
all else, positively and pre-eminently a Christian man. He possessed great
simplicity, purity, and humility of character. He had convictions, the princely
passion of convictions; careful and patient in coming to conclusions, he was
firm in maintaining them. A kind and courteous Christian, a worthy follower
of Him who has been called The world's first gentleman.'
"During the brief year in which it had been my privilege to know him
w^e have been in intimate fellowship and I feel a sense of deep personal loss.
A busy man, interested in his daily task, sharing in various ways in the mani-
fold aft'airs of civic life, he was never too busy or too absorbed in merely
temporal affairs to give time and thought to the service of his church, which,
with his home, lay close upon his heart. As one has written in a beautiful
tribute to his life, 'To him the church was not a mere matter of form, Init a
means to reach the highest and the best." Always a faithful attendant at the
mid-week service, his voice was heard in prayer ; simple in expression, broad
in range of interests, thoughtful of the varied needs of humanity, his prayers
were an inspiration and a gracious benediction to us all.
"I need not dwell this afternoon upon the genial, attracti\'e. dignified
service rendered in welcoming strangers to our church, week by week. We
shall miss him more than my poor words can tell. ]\Iy brothers, by the mem-
ory of this Christian Great-heart, bowed in sorrow here around his lifeless
form, here in this house of God, fragrant with '.he memorv of his unselfish
492 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
service in our Master's name, I summon you today to rally to the cause to
which he gave the last full measure of his devotion. There is a vacant place
— you will not leave it vacant. We cannot fill his place nor do the work he
did so well, but we may fill our own, and in the same spirit which inspired him
do the duty given us to do.
"A choice spirit has left us. A brave, large-hearted, optimistic soul, a
life from whence radiated an atmosphere of cheer. One who loved his fel-
lows and made the world brighter for his living in it. The shell of his splen-
did manhood is coffined for the grave. The man himself, his faith, his con-
science, his puritv, his spiritual sentiments, the man who dwelt within the
earthly tent, has passed from service here into the larger service of the better
world."
At the grave, in beautiful Rose Hill cemetery, the Knights of Pythias, of
which Mr. Dodds had been an appreciative member, conducted their ritualistic
burial service.
The following beautiful tribute to ]\Ir. Dodds is quoted from the Blooin-
ington Evening IP' o rid: 'Tn the death of Samuel C. Dodds the state of
Indiana has lost one of its best citizens. In all that counts towards the ideal
man he was prominent. In the first place, ]\Ir. Dodds had character of the
highest type. He stood for the best things. He was a part and parcel of
the best things. His thoughts were pure and his actions squared with his
thoughts. In the second place, he had genial personality. He had the fac-
ulty of becoming interested in the daily affairs of the people about him. When
one met him he felt at once that Mr. Dodds was genuinely sympathetic and
sympathetically genuine. Some way or other, one felt that there was just a
little more sunshine in the world after he met Mr. Dodds. In the next place,
Mr. Dodds was a success in the business world. In business, he did not tear
down his fellow workers. He built up bv those means which are in harmony
witli the teachings of Christianity.
"As a citizen, Mr. Dodds was easily one of the foremost. He loved his
city with a passion that was all-consuming. Any movement that had for its
object the betterment of his home city met \\ith his hearty support. He
knew when to say no and how to say no. He was geniality up to the point
that met his approval and then he was firmness personified. He was always
courteous and those who differed with him admired his fairness and his open-
hearted honesty.
"The bigger the position one occupies the more opportunities there are
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 493
to make enemies. Mr. Dodds held many important positions, but his genial-
ity, fairness and honesty were such that he had remarkable success in making
and holding life-long friendships. Old and young, rich and poor, will unite
in giving him their tribute of praise.
"As great as Mr. Dodds was in other fields of work and pleasure, it was
in his home life that he showed best the real character of the man. Alany
men carry the sunshine into the world and reserve the shadows for the home.
Not so with Mr. Dodds. He was the ideal husband and the hearts of the
people of this community will go out to his noble wife."
Politically, Samuel C. Dodds was an ardent supporter of the principles
and policies of the Republican party, though he was never in any way an
aspirant for public office. Fraternally, he was, as before stated, a member of
the Knights of Pythias and of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity. He
was prominent among the alumni of Indiana University and always main-
tained the deepest interest in the welfare of his alma mater. In the civic life
of the community he was for many years an influential factor, having served
as a member of the city council and as president of the Commercial Club.
He was also interested as a director in the National Stone Company and was
a stockholder in two local building and loan associations.
Religiously, -\Ir. Dodds was for many years a member of the First
Presbyterian church, of which he was an elder at the time of his death. He
had been elected a delegate from the Indiana presbytery to the General As-
sembly of the Presbyterian church, which meets at Atlanta, Georgia, in May,
1914. He was a liberal, though entirely unostentatious, giver to all depart-
ments of church work and was never happier than when he saw the church's
interests advancing.
On October 17, 1878, Mr. Dodds married Nellie Winters, the daughter
of George W. and Clementina (Herd) Winters, of Columbia, Kentucky,
though her father was a native of Pennsylvania. He was a successful farmer,
tobacco raiser and cattle buyer, and in politics was a strong Republican. Mrs.
Dodds is descended from sterling old patriotic stock, a great-grandfather
having fought under General Washington and, with him, endured the terrible
hardships and privations at Valley Forge. Mrs. Dodds is a woman of
gracious qualities of head and heart, which have endeared her to the large
circle of acquaintances which she enjoys. She, too, has been active in the
interest of the Presbyterian church and she well merits the large measure of
esteem which is accorded her.
494 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ARTHUR J. McDonald, m. d.
Success in what are popularly termed the learned professions is the legit-
imate result of merit and painstaking endeavor. In commercial life one may
come into possession of a lucrative business through inheritance or gift, but
professional advancement is gained only by critical study and consecutive
research long continued. Proper intellectual discipline, thorough profes-
sional knowledge and the possession and utilization of the qualities and attri-
butes essential to success have made Arthur J. McDonald eminent in his
chosen calling and for a number of years he has stood among the scholarly and
enterprising physicans and surgeons in a community long distinguished for
the high order of its medical talent. His life has been characterized not only
by high professional ability, but also by the most profound human sympathy
which has overleaped mere sentiment to become an actuating motive, for he
early realized that there is no honor not founded on genuine worth, that
there is a vital purpose in life, and that the best and highest accomplishments
must come from a well trained mind and an altruistic heart. Those who know
Doctor McDonald well are unstinted in their praise of his superior ability and
his genial disposition. Older men here in the profession have relied on his
judgment and younger ones have frequently sought his counsel, and the large
success which has crowned his life work has been honestly merited.
Arthur J. McDonald comes of a sterling line of Scotch-Irish ancestry,
the paternal line being Scotch and the maternal Irish. The subject's great-
grandfather, James McDonald, was a native of Scotland and, on his emigra-
tion to this country, located in A^irginia, from whence he went to Kentucky,
where he spent the remainder of his days. His son, James McDonald, was
born in Kentucky. During his early active years he was a farmer near Paoli,
Indiana, but later retired and moved to Orleans, Orange county, this state,
where his death occurred at the age of seventy-five years. He had married
a Miss Newkirk and reared a family of eight children, an equal number of
bov^ and twirls, among whom was Logan, who became the father of the sub-
ject of this sketch. Logan McDonald was born in Orange county, Indiana,
was a successful contractor during his active years, and is now living at
Mitchell, Indiana. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Fitzpatrick and
who was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, died at Mitchell in 1909. To
Logan and Elizabeth McDonald were born seven children, of which number
onl\' two are living, Arthur J., the subject, and Anna, the wife of Eck Gunn,
of Bedford.
Arthur J. McDonald was born at Orleans, Indiana, on the i6th day of
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 495
January, i860, and was only eighteen months old when the family moved to
Mitchell, Indiana, from wdiose public schools he graduated in 1878. He w-as
then engaged in teaching school for a year, after which he matriculated in the
Louisville Medical College, where he was graduated and received his degree
of Doctor of Medicine on March 22, 1882. While pursuing his studies he
won a gold medal for his researches in materia medica and therapeutics. Dur-
ing the following se^-en and a half years Doctor McDonald was engaged in
the active practice of his profession at Mitchell, but in 1889 ^^ went to New
York city and took a post-graduate course in the Polyclinic Hospital. Upon
the completion of these studies, the Doctor came to Bedford and has since
been engaged in the practice here. That he has been successful in an eminent
degree is a fact generally recognized throughout the community and today he
stands undisputably in the front rank of the medical men of Lawrence county.
Doctor McDonald has been for a number of years local surgeon for the
Monon Railroad Company and is examiner for a number of life insurance
companies. That he is progressive in disposition and keenly alive to the latest
advances in the healing art is evidenced in the statement that Doctor Mc-
Donald received from New York the first diphtheria anti-toxin sent out from
that city and he made the first use of the anti-toxin in southern Indiana. He
is a close student of the best professional literature and among his fellow
practitioners he is held in the highest regard because of his ability and attain-
ments. He is a member of the Lawrence County Medical Society, the Indi-
ana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He has
also for several years been a member of the board of United States pension
examiners.
Politically, Doctor McDonald has for many years been an active sup-
porter of the Democratic party, though never an aspirant for public office.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has taken the
chapter degrees of the York rite and the Scottish rite up to and including the
thirty-second degree ; he belongs also to Murat Temple, Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine, at Indianapolis. He is an appreciative member of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, being a trustee of the Bedford lodge. His religious
afifiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife is a member
of the Christian church.
On June 26, 1886, Doctor McDonald was married to Hattie Overman,
of Mitchell, Indiana, but who was born at Bryantsville, Lawrence county, the
daughter of Levi and Sarah J. Overman. To Doctor and Mrs. McDonald
have been born two children, Carl, who died when three and a half years old,
and Harriet Jane. Doctor and Mrs. McDonald move in the best social circles
of their community and are held in the highest regard by all who know them.
49^ LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
JUDGE HENRY CLAY DUNCAN.
Human life is like the waves of the sea; they flash a few brief moments
in the sunlight, marvels of power and beauty, and then are dashed upon the
remorseless shores of death and disappear forever. As the mighty deep has
rolled for ages past and chanted its sublime requiem and will continue to roll
during the coming ages until time shall be no more, so will the waves of
human life follow each other in countless succession until they mingle at last
with the billows of eternity's boundless sea. The passing of any human life,
however humble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to
some heart, but when the "fell destroyer" knocks at the door of the useful
and great and removes from earthly scenes the man of honor and influence
and the benefactor of his kind, it not only means bereavement to kindred and
friends, but a public calamity as well. In the largest and best sense of the
term, the late Judge Henry Clay Duncan was distinctively one of the notable
men of, his day and generation, and as such his life record is entitled to a
conspicuous place in the annals of his county. As a citizen he was public
spirited and enterprising to an unwonted degree; as a friend and neighbor
he combined the qualities of head and heart that won confidence and com-
manded respect ; as an attorney, who had a comprehensive grasp upon the
philosophy of jurisprudence and brought honor and dignity to the public posi-
tion he filled with such distinguished success, he was easily the peer of his
professional brethren of the bar, and as a servant of the people in places of
honor he had no superiors. It is scarce less than supererogation in outlining
the leading facts in his life to refer to him as a lawyer in the ordinary phrase-
ology which meets requirements when dealing with the average member of
the legal profession. He was indeed much more than eminently successful in
his legal career, as was indicated by his long and praiseworthy record at the
bar and his efficient service on the bench. He was a master of his profession,
a leader among men distinguished for the high order of their legal talent,
and his eminent attainments and ripe judgment made him an authority on all
matters involving a profound knowledge of jurisprudence and vexed and in-
tricate questions growing out of its interpretation.
Henry Clay Duncan was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, on January
l6, 1845, and his death occurred at his home in Bloomington, on January 30,
191 1. He was the son of William and Mary (Malott) Duncan, both of whom
were natives of Jefferson county, Kentucky. They were married there in
HON . H - C. DUNCAN
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 497
1824 and two years later they moved to Lawrence county, Indiana, where
they spent their remaining years, the father's death occurring on March i,
1875. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom are now de-
ceased.
Henry Clay Duncan received his preliminary education in the common
schools of Lawrence county, later being a student in Northwestern Uni\er-
sity (now Butler College), and then, on January i, 1864, he became a student
in Indiana University. However, realizing that his services were needed by
his country, which was then irt the throes of the greatest civil conflict this
world has ever known, he relinquished his text books and enlisted in the One
Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under
Col. John W. Foster, with which command he served until mustered out on
October i, 1864. He then resumed his studies in the State University and in
1868 received his Bachelor of Arts degree, and also graduated from the law
department. He had a natural predilection for the law, and immediately after
leaving college he begaii the reading of law with Moses F. Dunn, of Bedford.
In 1869 Mr. Duncan was appointed and served as enrolling clerk in the state
Legislature. In 1872 he formed a partnership with his former preceptor,
Mr. Dunn, and engaged in the active practice of law at Bedford. Two years
later he came to Bloomington and formed a law partnership with John \V.
Buskirk, which firm soon took rank as one of the strongest law firms in south-
ern Indiana, and continued until 1887, when he formed a partnership with
Ira C. Batman, which continued until the time of his death. In 1880 Mr.
Duncan was elected prosecuting attorney for the judicial district composed
of Monroe, Lawrence, Orange and Martin counties, serving two years and
gaining a splendid reputation as a painstaking, thorough and successful law-
yer. Subsequently he was appointed judge of the circuit court, in which posi-
tion he gained additional laurels, his record having been one which reflected
great credit on himself and honored the counties over whose court she pre-
sided. His integrity was of the most insistent and unswerving type and no
shadow rests upon any portion of his professional career.
Aside from his professional interests, which demanded the major por-
tin of his time, Judge Duncan was also deeply interested in the welfare of the
city in which he lived and became identified with a number of enterprises of
local importance. For many years he was president of tlie \\'orkingmen"s
Building and Loan Association; was a director of the Citizens Loan and
(32)
498 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Trust Company; was a director of the First National Bank, and vice-president
of that institution at the time of his death, and in other ways he evinced a
live interest in the development and progress of Bloomington.
Politically, Judge Duncan was a stanch and earnest supporter of the Re-
publican party and took a prominent part in political affairs. He was elected
a state senator and in that capacity was influential in retaining the State
University at Bloomington, at a time when there was a movement on foot to
locate it elsewhere. He was also an influential figure in the election of Charles
W. Fairbanks as United States senator. While in the Senate he was the
author of the bill changing the prison at Jeffersonville to a reformatory, and
was appointed a member of the first board of trustees, serving one term.
Religiously, he was for many years an active member of the Christian church,
which he served as trustee and elder, and to the support of which he was a
liljeral contributor. Fraternally, he was a member of the Free and Accepted
]\Iasons, the Grand Army of the Republic, and the Sigma Chi fraternity.
On December 11, 1872, Judge Duncan was married to Sadie Cummings,
the daughter of Dr. Adam F. and Melissa (Edwards) Cummings, both of
whom were natives of Ohio. Both had come to Jefiferson county, Indiana, in
childhood with their respective parents, and were there reared and married,
their union resulting in the liirth of four children, namely : Marie Antoin-
ette, Frank and an infant, all of whom are deceased, and Sadie, who became
the wife of the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Cummings is still living, at the
advanced age of eighty-seven years, and is making her home with her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Duncan. To Judge and IMrs. Duncan were born four children, as
follows: Frank, of Bedford; Antoinette, who became the wife of Burton E.
Hansen, of Bedford; Newland, a farmer in this county; and Sallie, the wife
of Phillip B. Hill, of Bloomington.
As a lawyer Judge Duncan was industrious, able, courteous and of kindly
disposition in his intercourse with his professional brethren, always enjoying
the respect and confidence of bench and bar, and never allowing the asperities
and antagonisms of professional I)usiness to interrupt the warmth and cor-
diality of his per.sonal friendships. He was fortunate in that because of his
kindly nature he was nut inclined to provoke the kind of antagonisms which
engender bitterness, and therefore through life he enjoyed to a marked degree
the personal esteem and warm friendly regard of his professional and busi-
ness associates. Fie was a good citizen, liberal always in his counsel, his time
and his means, in all enterprises which gave promise of the betterment of his
fellow men or of the general public good.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 499
EARL G. SHORT.
It is a well attested maxim that the greatness of a community or a state
lies not in the machinery of government nor even in its institutions, but
rather in the sterling qualities of the individual citizen, in his capacity for
high and unselfish effort and his devotion to the public welfare. In these
particulars he whose name appears at the head of this review has conferred
honor and dignity upon his locality, and as an elemental part of history it
is consonant that there should be recorded a resume of his career, with the
object in view of noting his connection with the advancement of one of the
most flourishing and progressive sections of the commonwealth, as well as
his official relations with the administration of the public affairs of the
county honored by his citizenship.
Earl G. Short was born in Springville, Lawrence county, Indiana, on the
5th day of December, 1871, and he is the son of Dr. Wesley and MoUie E.
(Rafferty) Short. The father, who was born near Somerset, Kentucky, was
brought to Lawrence county, Indiana, when two years old, by his father,
]\Iilton Short. The farm which they settled on at Springville is now the
propert}- of the suljject of this sketch and his brother. On that farm Doctor
Short lived until hi.s tleatli, wliicli occurred <:in Alarch 23, 1900. He was by
\-ocation a ph}-sician, as his title wmild indicate, having received his profes-
sional education in the Cincinnati Eclectic College, and afterward taking a
post-graduate course in Xew A'ork city, and he was engaged in the practice
continuously up to within a year of his death, being not only eminently
successful in the treatment of disease, but also enjoving to a notable degree
the confidence and esteem of the entire community. He was a veteran of the
Civil war, serving first as assistant surgeon of the Twenty-si.xth Regiment
Indiana A^olunteer Infantry, and afterward being promoted to surgeon of
the First Texas Cavalry Regiment, serving two years in all. To him be-
longed the distinction of being probably the only soldier in Lawrence county
who never applied for a pension. To Wesley and Mollie Short were born
three children, namely: Earl G., the immediate subject of this sketch; Carl
M. and Mary C, who now live on the home farm.
Earl G. Short was reared on the home farm and is indebted to the com-
mon schools for his educational training. In 1893 he started in life on his
own account by engaging in the mercantile business at Springville. but at
the end of three years he went to Switz City, Greene county, this state, where
he was in business for the same length of time. He then formed a partner-
ship with George Holmes and tliey engaged in the mercantile business at
500 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Oolitic, this county. Init at the end of a year Mr. Short's heaUh failed and
he turned his attention to farming operations, having bought a splendid
farm of four hundred and seventy acres near Springville, to which he de-
voted his attention for six years. Mr. Short then made a trip to New Mexico
and on his return, in 190^1. he came to Bedford and engaged in the livery-
business, in which he is still interested, in partnership with William F. Oweii.
In Xoveml)er, 1912, Mr. Short was elected to the office of county treasurer,
for which he had been nominated on the Republican ticket, assuming the
duties of his office on January i, 1913. He is discharging the duties of this
responsible office in a manner that has earned for hirn the approval and
commendation of all classes, regardless of political lines.
On November 24, 1897, Mr. Short was married to Dora Hurley, the
daughter of John and Addie (Martin) Hurley, of Switz City, Indiana. She
died on October 7, 1906, at Albuqueniue, Xew Mexico. To their union were
born five children, Mary, Harry, Glenn, Bessie and Beulah.
Fraternally, Mr. Short is affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Hobbie-
ville, Greene county, Indiana, and with Lodge No. 826, Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks, at Bedford. He is a man of splendid business quali-
fications, which, combined with his courtesy ind genial disposition, have
commended him to the good will and friendship of all who know him. As
a side line, Mr. Short gives some attention to the breeding and raising of
Shetland ponies, in the handling of which he has been very successful, selling
them practically all over the world.
CHARLES B. WALDRON.
• Representing one of the oldest and best known families of Monroe
county, and a man of enterprise and sterling worth, Charles B. Waldron is
well entitled to notice among the substantial professional men of Blooming-
ton, and it is with much satisfaction that the storv of his life is accorded a
place in these pages.
Charles B. Waldron was born on September i, 1885, at Bloomington,
Indiana, and is the son of John B. antl Mary A. ( Shiel ) Waldron. The father
also was a native of Monroe county, Indiana, and was engaged in the tan-
nery business w ith his father, John Waldron, and later was a partner in the
furniture business with Showers & Dodds, one of the best known business
houses in this locality. Subsequently he became a bookkeeper in the First
National Bank, a position he held at the time of his death. He was a staunch
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 50I
Republican in politics and one of the sterling and respected citizens of his
community. His wife, ^Nlary A. Shiel Waldron, was a native of Jackson
county, Indiana, and their union was blessed by the birth of one child, the
subject of this sketch. The subject's paternal grandfather, John Waldron,
was born at Drogheda, Ireland, in June, 1S27, and was the eldest of a family
of three children born to John and ]\Iary (Hughes) Waldron. He received
a common school education in his native land and in bo_\hood learned the trade
of a tanner with his father. Left an orphan, however, he came to America in
1S47, locating first at Newark. Xew Jersey, where he was emploved at his
trade until 1848, \\ hen he went to St. Louis, ^lissouri, where he worked in a
tannery until 1856. In 1856 he came to Bloomington and soon afterward
bought the old Judy tannery, to which he made extensive additions and im-
portant improvements, the tannery becoming one of the largest in Blooming-
ton and many men being employed in its operation. In this enterprise Mr.
Waldron achieved an eminent success, accumulated a comfortable compe-
tency and became financially interested in a number of other local affairs of
importance. He was a large stockholder in the First National Bank of
Bloomington, of which he became a director at the time of its organization
in 1 87 1, and on the death of George W. Buskirk in 1874 he was elected
president, serving in this position for several years. He remained a director
of the bank until his death. In 1890 he retired from the tanning business, but
retained his interest in other local enterprises, being a stockholder in the Cen-
tral Oolitic Stone Company and other quarry concerns, and having a one-
third interest in the Waldron-Hill-Buskirk Spoke Factory, one of the impor-
tant concerns of Bloomington. In the civic and political life of the com-
munity he was long prominent and as a staunch supporter of the Republican
party he received official preferment at the hands of his fellow citizens,
having served for twenty years as a member of the town council and for
three years as a member of the county board of commissioners. In the devel-
opment and progress of Bloomington he was deeply interested, and he took
a very active part in the raising of the fifty-thousand-dollar fund required
for retaining Indiana University in this city at a time when there was strong
effort being made to locate the uni\-ersity elsewhere. Thus in many ways he
became recognized as one of the most progressive and substantial citizens of
the community who enjoyed to a marked degree public popularity and esteem.
His death occurred on ]\Iay 11, 1899. On September 4, 1853, he was mar-
ried to Ann Bonecum, the daughter of John Bonecum, of St. Louis. He
was a member of the Catholic church, to the support of which he contributed,
and in his daily life he exemplified the highest degree of morality and truth.
502 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Charles B. Waldron, Jr., received his education in the common schools
in Jackson and Monroe counties, being graduated from the high school and
then became a student in the law department of the Indiana State Univer-
sity, where he graduated in 1910 with the degree of Bachelor of Law. He
then attended the law department of Yale University, where he received his
Master's degree in 191 1. immediately after which he returned to Bloomington
and entered upon the active practice of his protession. Though among the
younger members of the ]\lonroe county bar, Mr. Waldron has impressed
his personality upon those A\ith whom he has come in contact and has been
connected actively with much of the important litigation tried in the local
courts.
Politically, Mr. Waldron is a staunch supporter of the Republican party,
while fraternally he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks and the Knights of Columbus. Religiously, he is a member of the
Catholic church. In professional, political and social circles Mr. Waldron
enjoys a wide acquaintance and is deservedly popular and possesses to a
marked degree those qualities of character which win and retain friendship.
EDMUND B. THORNTON.
In examining the life records of self-made men, it will mvariably be
found that indefatigable industry has constituted the basis of their success.
True, there are other elements which enter in and conserve the advancement
of personal interests — perseverance, discrimination and mastering of expe-
dients— but the foundation of all achievement is earnest, persistent labor.
At the outset of his career j\Ir. Thornton recognized this fact, and he did
not seek any royal road to the goal of prosperity and independence, but
began to work earnestly and diligently in order to advance himself, and the
result is that he is now numbered among the progressive, successful and influ-
ential business men of Lawrence county.
Edmund B. Thornton was Ijorn in the city <.f Bedford, Indiana, on Jan-
uary II. 1856, and is the son of George A. and Mary (Braxton) Thornton, the
father born near New Albany, Indiana, and the mother at Paoli, this state.
George A. Thornton was a successful man and was cashier of the Bedford
State Bank at the time of his death, which occurred in 1864, at the compara-
tively early age of forty-three years. He was educated with the intention of
following the legal profession, but never practiced much along that line. He
was elected to the office of county clerk, but resigned the position to accept that
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 503
of cashier in the bank. He was for many years an elder in the Presbyterian
church at Bedford, having come to this city in young manhood. He was sur-
^•ived many years b}- his widow, who died in 1894. They were the parents of
eight children, of whom six are living, namely : Thomas V., Henry C. and
Joseph F., of Indianapolis; ^Nlrs. R. P. Shaw, of Tacoma, Washington: Mrs.
A. H. Davis, of Washington, D. C, and the subject of this sketch.
Edmund B. Thornton received his education in the public schools, being
a graduate of the Bedford high school, and in the normal school at Medina,
Ohio. In the meantime, while pursuing his educatiun, he had engaged in the
grocerv business in Bedford, but immediately after returning from the nor-
mal school he was elected countv superintendent of schools of Lawrence
county, and was re-elected, thus serving two terms, or eight years. He was
eminently successful in this profession and could have had the best educa-
tional employment in the county had he elected to continue in that line.
However, he desired a liroader field for the exercise of his efforts and en-
gaged in the lumber business for four years, being located at Enterprise and
Ford, Kentucky. About 18S3 he returned to r)cdf'iril and accepted the position
of superintendent of the new Hoosier stDue (|uarry, and in the following year
he was made general superintendent of all the Hoosier Stone Company's
quarries, in which he proved the right man for the place. In 1888 Mr.
Thornton organized the Bedford Steam Stone Works, of which he is presi-
dent and which has been one of the most prosoerous and successful of the
stone companies organized here. In igoo ]\Ir. Thornton organized the Otta-
wa Silica Company, of Ottawa. Illinois, a hundred-thousand-dollar corpora-
tion, of which he has been president ever since its inception. This company is
engaged in the mining and shipping of glass sand, ground silica and testing
sand for cement tests. The latter product is of exceptionally fine quality
and has been adopted as a standard by the Society of American Engineers.
Mr. Thornton is also the largest stockholder and president of the Imperial
Stone Company, of Bedford, director and vice-president of the Citizens Na-
tional Bank, a director of the Citizens Trust Company, and director and
secretary of the Central A^eneer Company, of Indianapolis. To write in full
detail the account of all the interesting happenings in Mr. Thornton's life
would require a much more elaborate article than the nature of this work
admits or requires, but sufficient has been said to form a conception of the
man and his career, a career characterized by work well done, keenness of
perception, tireless energy, honesty of purpose and motive and everv-day
common sense. He has been successful in business, respected in social life,
and as a neighbor has discharged his duties in a manner becoming a liberal-
504 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
minded, intellig-ent citizen of a conmnuiity where tlie essential qualities of
manhood have e\'er been dulv recognized and prized at their full value.
In 1878 Air. Thornton was married to Alary Louise Carlton, of Bedford,
the daughter of James C. and Caroline ( Alitchell ) Carlton. They are the
parents of fi\e children, namely: Carrie, deceased; Mary Louise; James C,
who is engaged in Inisiness in New York city ; Eddie Elizabeth, and George
A. Politically, Air. Thornton is a Repu])lican, but his business affairs have
demanded his time to such an extent that he has not participated greatly in
public affairs. Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian church, of
which he is an elder. Personally, he is genial and approachable and enjoys
the friendship of all who know him.
DR. BEN NEWLAND.
The state of Indiana has reason to take pride in the personnel of her
corps of medical men from the early days in the history of this common-
wealth to the present time, and on the roll of honored names that indicates
the services of distinguished citizens in this field of endeavor there is reason
in reverting with gratification to that of Dr. Ben Newland. who has long
since ended his earthly services and "joined the innumerable caravan that
moves to the mysterious realm," but whose record will long remain as an
incentive to the youth who contemplates a career in this great branch of
science. He was a member of a prominent Virginia family, one that has
been influential in public and civic life wherever they have dispersed.
Ben Newland. who during his active life was one of the most prominent
and popular and successful physicians who ever lived in Lawrence county,
was born on July 19. 1S21, in Jackson county, Indiana, near the town of
Velonia. He was a son of William and Susan Chester (Harrold) Newland,
the father a native of X'irginia and the mother of Kentucky. They came to
Indiana in 1S16, settling on the White river near Tunnelton, in Lawrence
county, where the father followed farming pursuits, and later located east
of Bedford, where his death occurred, the mother subsequently dying in Illi-
nois. They were the parents of the following children; Elizabeth, the wife
of Greenbury Owen; Mary, the wife of J. Hostettler, of Illinois; Kate, who
became the wife of Michael Malott, of Sullivan, Indiana; Sarah, the wife of
Henry Malott ; Robert, who married Nancy Holland and went to Texas,
where he died, having served as a colonel in tlie Confederate army in the
Civil war; Laura, twin to Roljert, became the wife of James W. Palmer, of
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 505
Bedford; Benjamin, who was the third child in order of birth, is the subject
of this sketch; Emily became the wife of Eh Knapp and iHed at Decatur, lUi-
nois; CaroHne, widow of Joseph Hostettler, is h'ving at Decatur, llHnois. Will-
iam Xewland took a contract to carry the ETnited States mail and in the fulfill-
ment of this contract his son, the subject of this sketch, at the age of twelve
years, started to carry the mail by horseback between Orleans and Indian-
apolis, and Bedford and A^ersailles, following this employment for three
years. This was a tiresome and ofttimes dangerous trip for anyone, much
less a boy of his tender years, but he faithfully performed his part of the
work for his father. He was an industrious lad and after ceasing his duties
as a mail carrier he engaged in cutting rails, cutting ten thousand of them
during 1840 and 1S41. He also engaged in teaching school and then, having
an ambition to take up the medical profession, he entered the office of Dr.
Elijah Newland, with whom he remained for two years. He afterward
attended medical lectures at Louisville, Kentucky, and in April, 1845. opened an
office at Bedford, on the northeast corner of the public square. He continued
his studies at the Eouisville Medical College during 1845-46-47 until he was
graduated and then, returning to Bedford, confined himself closely to his
profession up to the time of his death, which occurred on April 5, 1889.
During this long period probably no other phvsician in this section of the
country enjoyed to a greater extent the absolute confidence and regard of
the people to whom he ministered and with whom he mingled, for he was
not onh' a successful practitioner, but possessed a kindness of heart and a
broad-minded sympathy for sufifering humanity which endeared him to the
affections of all who knew him. Though a busy man. Doctor Newland took
an interested part in many phases of public life and especially in militaiT'
matters was he prominent. In i8_|9 he was made captain of the state
militia, and in 1852 was made a brigadier-general of the militia. On the
outbreak of the Civil war he tendered his services to the government and
was commissioned surgeon of the Twenty-second Regiment Indiana Volun-
teer Infantry, which he accompanied to the front. The command was first
sent to Missouri, where, on September 6, 1861, Doctor Newland was ap-
pointed medical director of the central district of [Missouri, headquarters at
Jeffersonville. There he equipped a hospital with four thousand beds and
also a pest house, but was soon afterward assigned to another army corps
and just prior to the battle of Pea Ridge he was made medical director of
his division, having charge during the battle of Pea Ridge, when he estab-
lished a hospital of five thousand beds for the accommodation of the sick
and wounded soldiers. When the division was ordered to Kentuckv, Doctor
506 LAWRENCE AND AIONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Newland asked to be retired and returned to Louisville. However, he took
part in the battle of Perrysville and was on the held a week after the battle
directing the care of the wounded. On November 4, 1862, he resigned his
commission and returned to Bedford on account of his wife's ill health.
Politically, Doctor Newland was a lifelong Democrat and was for many
years an active participant in the political affairs of the state, especially con-
cerning his immediate locality. He was state seuator from Lawrence county
in 1852 and in 1876 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention
at St. Louis, which nominated Samuel J. Tilden for the Presidency. He was
also chairman of the county central committee of his party and was a dele-
gate to many state and county conventions. In 1854 and 1855 Doctor New-
land was president of the Bedford Branch of the State Bank, and in 1856
was a delegate to the national convention of bankers at Cincinnati, Ohio. He
was made a memljer of the Free and Accepted Masons in 1849 ^^^^ all his
life took a deep and appreciative interest in the workings of that time-hon-
ored order.
Professionally, for twenty years Doctor Newland was a member of the
American ^NledicalAssociation and for twenty-seven years a member of the
State Medical Society, as well as the Lawrence County Medical Society and
the Mitchell District Medical Society. In 1879 ^^^ ^'^'^^ president of the State
IMedical Society, and at the close of the session he made an address for which
he was highly complimented by the president of the society. He made a
deep and exhaustive study of tuberculosis, in the treatment of which he was
successful and for many years he was counted the leading physician and
surgeon of Lawrence county and vicinity. In 1850-51-52 he and Joseph
Hostettler owned a drug store on the east side of the public square in Bed-
ford, but the Doctor later retired froui that business. Religiouslv, he was
hrst a member of the Christian church, but subsequently transferred his
membership tu the Episcopal church, of which he was thereafter a faithful
and earnest member. Personallv. Doctor Newland was a man of magnifi-
cent physique, standing over six feet tall and weighing two hundred and fifty
pounds. He was a man who would attract attention in any assemblage and
he enjoyed a large acquaintance and a marked popularity where\'er he was
known. What he did for his fellow men and the community in general may
in a manner be told in words, but in its far-reaching influences cannot be
measured. He was in close touch with the people and from a sincere and
deep-felt interest in their welfare he labored for all that would prove of
public benefit until his busy and useful life was ended. His death occurred
on April 5, 1889. and his wife died on January T5th of the same year.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 507
On December 28, 1847, Doctor Newland was married to Louisa A.
Curry, wlio was born at Salem, Indiana, in Septeml)er, 18 19. the daughter of
John and Deborah ( Xewland ) Curry. Her [parents were of good old
Quaker stock and the father, who was a farmer, was numbered among the
early settlers of Salem, Indiana, where his death occurred, his wife dying in
1S73. He was a hatter by trade and was a man of tine personal qualities.
His wife, who had received a splendid education, taught school from 1835 to
1846. To Doctor Xewland and wife were born four children, namely : Helen,
born Jul}- 12, 1848, became the wife of William Lewis, of near ^litchell,
where her death occurred in August, 1Q07: ]\Iary, born October 31, 1849,
and who died on February 7, 1895, was the wife of Albert C. Andrews, of
Madison, Indiana; Laura B., born October 11, 185 1, is the wife of James "M.
Caress, who is referred to elsewhere in this work; Kate B., born March 25,
1854, and who died on December 5, 1898, was the wife of James H. Willard,
of Bedford. Indiana.
WILLIAM W. WEAVER.
It is one of the l)eauties of our government that it acknowledges no
hereditary rank or title, no patent of nobility save that of nature's, leaving
every man to establish his own rank by becoming the artificer of his own
fortune. Places of honor and trust, rank and preferment thus happily placed
before every individual, high or low, rich or poor, to be striven for by all,
but earned alone by perseverance and sterling worth, are most always sure
to be filled with deserving men, or at least by those possessing the energy- and
talent essential to success in contests where public position is the prize. W' ill-
iam W. ^Veaver, the subject of this review, affords a conspicuous example
of the successful, self-made American, who is not only eminently deserving
of the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens, but also possesses the
necessary energy and talent that fit him to discharge w^orthily the duties of
the responsible place with which he has been honored by the people of his
county. A man of vigorous mentality and strong mental fiber, he finds those
qualities the chief factor in the carving out of a career that has been above
the suspicion of reproach and of honor to the county which he so ably and
acceptably serves.
William W. Weaver was born in Greene county, Indiana, on November
2, 1 861, and is the son of William and Martha (Edwards) Weaver, both of
508 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
whom were natives of Greene county and b(jth ^jf whom died there in 1884.
The father foUowed farming pursuits and was respected in his community
as a man of sturdy integrity, industrious habits, pubhc spirited and encour-
aging all movements toward the general good. They were the parents of
eight children, six of whom are still living.
The subject of this sketch attended the common schools and was reared
to the life of a farmer, which pursuit he followed until about forty years of
age when, in 1900, he came to Bloomington, and during the following thir-
teen months was engaged in the operation of a meat market. He then
entered the stock business, buying and shipping to the larger markets during
the following eight years with a fair degree of success. In 1909 he was
nominated by his party and elected to the office of county treasurer, in which
he is now serving to the entire satisfaction of the people. In his material
affairs Air. \\'eaver has been very successful and is the owner of three hun-
dred and sixty-five acres of land in Greene county, two hundred and fifty of
which is under the plow, the balance being in timber and pasture. He oper-
ates his own land, which is under the personal management of his brother,
George E., and from which he derives a considerable income.
In 188 1 Mr. Weaver was married to Eliza E. Lumsford, the daughter
of James C. and Amanda Lumsford, natives of Monroe county, Indiana,
b(jth of whom are now deceased.
Politically, the subject of this sketch is a warm supporter of the Repub-
lican party and has long been active in the advancement of the party's inter-
ests. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the
Knights of Pythias, while religiously he is an attendant of the Methodist
Episcopal church. He has a pleasant and attractive home at No. 505 West
Sixth street, Bloomington, where the spirit of old-time hospitality is always
in evidence, and where he delights to entertain his friends. Mr. Weaver has
alwa}-s been a man of public spirit and energy and while a resident of Beech
Creek township, Greene county, he served as trustee and assessor and there
held, as he has since done in his own county, the respect and confidence of
the people. Mr. Weaver's life history exhibits a career of unswerving integ-
rity, indefatigable private industry and wholesome home and social relations,
a most commendable career crowned with success. It is the record of a well
balanced mental and moral constitution, strongly marked by those traits of
character which are of special value to such a state of society as exists in
this country. In all life's relations he has been true and faithful to duty and
to all trusts reposed in him, and thereby he has won the unqualified con-
fidence and respect of his fellow men.
LAWREAXE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 509
JOHX L. AND LEO XICHOLS.
Among the men of sterling worth and strength of character who have
made an impress on the Hfe of the locahty in which they li\e, none have
receixed a larger meed of popular respect and regard than the gentlemen
whose family name is well known throughout this section of the county. John
L. and Leo Xichols, al.)le and successful architects at Bloomington. Lifelong
residence in one locality has given the people an opportunity to know them
in every phase of their character, and that they have been true to life in its
'every phase is manifest in the degree of confidence and regard in which they
are held by those who know them. Professionally, they are men of unusual
attainments and have achieved a splendid success among the followers of
their profession, which is dual in character, conibining the artistic and es-
thetic with the practical and economic.
John L. and Leo Xichols are both natives jf Bloomington, Indiana, antl
are the sons of Hiram J. and Rebecca AL (Rogers) Xichols, the father a
native of Shelbv county, Kentucky, and the mother born in \'irginia. The
father c^me to Monroe county, Indiana, in an early day, being numbered
among its early settlers, and he was the first surveyor of the locality in which
the family has lived for so many years, having laid out the town of Bloom-
ington. He and his w ife were married in this county, and to them were born
six children, namely: Harriett. James. John, \'ictoria, Leo ]^L and Claude,
all being deceased except the subjects of this sketch. John and Leo M.
Nichols received their education in the public schools of Bloomington. upon
the completion of which both took u|i the study of architecture, in which
John has been continually engaged until the present time. Leo AL. after
following the Ijusiness for a time, went to Lidianapolis, where for seven
years he was engaged in the clothing business. At the end of that period
he returned to Bloomington and again formed a partnership with his brother,
under the firm name of Xichols & Xichols. and he has since remained actively
engaged in the business. As architects they are considered an unusually
capable firm, combining a technical knowledge of the profession with original
ideas which commend their work to tlie most exacting class of patrons. They
have successfully handled some of the largest and best buildings in this
section of the country and are numbered among the leading architects of this
locality.
In 1886. Leo Xichols married Anna Campliell. the daughter of William
and Hannah (Dunn) Campliell, and to them have been born two children.
Claude and Robert.
510 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
John Nichols married Mahel Dunn, the daugiiter of Samuel Grmidy
Dunn, and they had one child, Bridge, who died in 1911.
Fraternally, John Nichols is a member of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias,
the Improved Order of Red Men and the Court of Honor, while Leo is a
member of the Knights of Pytliias and the Knights of the Maccabees. Both
brothers take a dee]) and intelligent interest in fraternal affairs and arc pop-
ular in the circles in which they move. They are lioth of pleasing address,
gentlemanh in manner and ])ecause of their splendid qualities of character
and their eminent professional success, they are entitled to and deserving of
the s|)lendid positions to whicli they ha\e attained in the community in which
thev have spent uraclicallv their entire lives.
JOHN ROYER PEARSON. M. D.
Among those who stand as distinguished types of the world's workers
is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this paragraph, who is
one of the able and honored physicians and surgeons of southern Indiana,
A man of tine intellectual and professional attainments, of most gracious per-
sonality, of strong and noble character, and one who has labored with zeal
and devoti(jn in the alle\'iation of human suffering, he is clearly entitled to
representation among the progressive and enterprising citizens of Lawrence
county. He is devoted to his chosen vocation and has lent honor and dignity
to the medical profession, having due regard for the highest standard of
professional ethics and exhil)iting marked skill in the treatment of disease.
John R. Pearson was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, on May 8, 1876,
and he is the son of Dr. James A\'att and Elizabeth ( Embree) Pearson, both
also natives of the Hoosier state, the father ha\'ing been born in Orange
county and the mother in Lawrence county. The subject's great-great-grand-
parents, who were of English descent, came to Virginia in an early dav. His
great-grandfather was born in the Shenandoah valley. Virginia, in 1790, and
the latter's wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Ann Trueblood, was born
in 1797 at Elizalieth City, North Carolina. Their marriage occurred in 1813.
The 'subject's paternal grandfather, I'harles Dewey Pearson, A. M., M. D., was
born in Paoli, Orange county, Indiana, on April 12, 1820. After completing
his common school education he studied medicine with Dr. FI. E. Ewing, of
Louisville, and then Ijecame a student in Transvania Universitv, at Lexington,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 51I
Kentucky. Later he entered the medical department oi old Asbury College, at
Greencastle, Indiana, where he graduated in 1851. In 1859 he took the ad eun-
dem degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Cincinnati. Sub-
sequently this college tendered him the professorship of obstetrical medicine
and diseases of women and children, and the chair of eye surgery. In 1854
he was one of the organizers and the first president of the Orange County
Medical Society. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having served as a
member of the Forty-ninth Regiment Indiana A'dunteer Infantry. He mar-
ried Elizabeth Royer, the daughter of Hon. John Royer, of Johnstown, Penn-
sylvania, on November 30, 1843. She was born on April 5, 1815, and her death
occurred on July 22, i860. To them were born fi\'e children, one of whom
was James \\'., father of the subject of this sketch. James W. Pearson was
born at Levonia, W'ashington county, Indiana, and after completing the pub-
lic school course he entered Hano\-er College, but his studies were interrupted
l)y the outl^reak of the war oi the Rcbellidn, when he ])ecame a xolunteer mem-
ber of the navy. At the expiration of his period of enlistment he received an
h(>noral)le discliarge and then, at the earnest solicitation of his father, he took
up the stutl}- (if medicine, in which he Ijecame deeply versed and lunl splendid
success in the practice. He located at Bryantsville, Lawrence county, Indiana,
where he continued in the active practice until his death, which occurred on
July 16, 1878. In 1864 he married Elizabeth Embree, who bore to him two
children, Charles AA'att Pearson, of Lawrence county, Indiana, and John R.,
the subject.
John R. Pearson recei\-ed his elementary education in the common schools
of Lawrence county, after which he was student in DePauw L^niversity. In
igoo he entered the Indiana Medical College, graduating in 1904, with the
degree of Doctor of ?\ledicine. On ]\Iay 20th of the same year he entered
upon the jjractice of his profession at Bedford, where he has remained ever
since, with the exception of a])out six months, wb.en he had a mining camp in
Arizona. He is engaged in the general practice of medicine and surgery and
has met with most pronounced success in his calling. Idiat he possesses a
natural predilection and talent for the healing art may be inferred fr(im -the
statement that he is the fourth out of five direct generations who have adopted
the medical profession. He ])ossesses a fine and well selected professional
fibrary and takes the best medical journals, so that he keeps in close and
constant touch with the latest advances and researches in medicine and sur-
gery. He is a member of the Lawrence County ]\ledical Society, the Indiana
State Medical Society and the American ^ledical Association, attending many
of their meetings, in the proceedings of which he is deeply interested.
512 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
On Septemljer 3, 1903, Doctor Pearson was married to Vera Pickens,
a dau£^hter of Holt I'ickcns, of Owen county, Indiana, and to tliem was born
a dangiiter. who is deceased.
Politically, Doctor Pears(->n is a staunch supporter of the Republican
party, and has served efficiently as chairman of the city committee for his
partv. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to
which he is a liberal contributor. Fraternall}-, he is a member of the Free and
Accepted Masons, the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks. Socially, he belongs to the Sigma Chi fraternity,
of DePauw University, and was a charter memberof the Phi Chi, of Indiana
Medical College. Personally, he is a man of pleasing address and kindly
manner, who, by his very presence, inspires hope in the sick room and who,
because of his professional success, high character and genial disposition, has
won a host of warm and loyal friends throughout this community.
COL. ARCHIBALD C. VORIS.
One of the most conspicu(ius figures in the recent history of Bedford
was the late .\. C. Voris, a man who attained high ])rominence in the pro-
fession of law and was actively identified witli the ])usiness and industrial in-
terests of his section of the state. I'Jiuallv noted as a citizen whose career,
useful and honorable, conferred credit upon the community and whose marked
abilities and sterling qualities w^on for him much more than local repute, he
held distinctive precedence as one of the most prog"ressi\e and successful men
that ever inaugurated and carried to successful completion large and import-
ant undertakings in this locality. Strong mental jjowers, invincible courage
and a determined purpose that hesitated at no opposition so entered into his
composition as to render him a dominant factor in the business world and a
leader of men in large enterprises. He was essentially a man of affairs,
sound of judgment, keen discernment and far-seeing in what he undertook,
and e\cr>- enterprise to which he addressed himself resulted in liberal material
rewarfls. His extensive business interests were the legitimate fruitage of
consecutive effort, directed and controlled not onl\- by good judgment, but also
by correct moral principles.
Archibald C. \'oris was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, on June
16. 1829, and was one of eleven children liorn to Cornelius R. and ]\Iary
( A'anXuys) N'oris. These parents were nati\es of Kentucky ])ut were earlv
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 513
settlers of Indiana, having come to this state in 1824. The subject's early
years were spent on the parental farmstead, his elementary education being
received in the district schools of the neighborhood. In 1851 he became a
student in Hanover College, where he was graduated in 1855, with the degree
of Bachelor of Arts, eventually receiving from his alma mater the Master's
degree. Immediately upon the completion of his college course, Mr. Voris
came to Bedford and taught school for one year. In the meantime he had
given serious attention to the study of law and in 1856 he was admitted to
the bar of Lawrence county. The following year he went to Harvard Uni-
versity and became a student in the Dane Law School, where he took the full
course. He then returned to Bedford and formed a partnership with Judge
Pearson in the practice of law, in which he actively engaged until July, 1862,
when Mr. Voris responded to his country's call and enlisted for military
service. He was commissioned a captain by President Lincoln and was as-
signed to duty on the staff of Gen. W. .S. Hancrick, where he rendered faith-
ful service until the close of the war. .\t the date of his discharge, in May,
1865, he held a commission as brevet lieutenant-colonel, awarded him "for
gallant and faithful service on the field."
On his return to peaceful pursuits. Colonel \^oris resumed the practice
of law. For five years, beginning w'ith 1867, Colonel Voris was associated
with Judge Francis Wilson in professional work, and he afterwards formed a
partnership with Samuel D. Luckett, which continued until the Colonel be-
came so largely interested in outside business affairs, which demanded practi-
cally all of his time, that he made a proposition to Judge "William H. Martin,
who had studied law in his office, to relieve him of his law practice, which
was accepted. The Colonel finally abandoned the practice of law in 1882.
As a lawyer. Colonel Voris achieved an enviable reputation and while en-
gaged in the active practice he was connected with most of the important
cases tried in the local court. Natural ability, a good general education, care-
ful technical preparation and indefatigable industry, all combined to render
him able to cope w-ith the ablest members of the bar and he was signally
successful in the practice. A man of ripe scholarship, his mind broadened by
experience and habits of close obseiwation, he was a man of rare attainments
and he graced any company in which he was found. Genial and companion-
able, he easily made friends and was well liked among all classes.
Colonel Voris' first business venture of importance was in connection
with the Dark Hollow Stone Company, with which he became connected in
1879 and of which he was president, and he was also identified with the Bed-
(33)
514 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ford Oolitic and tlie Louisville & Bedford Stone Companies. It was these
companies which first developed the quarries in the district northwest of
Bedford and near what is now known as the town of Oolitic. Colonel Voris
was also one of the organizers of the Bedford, Springville & Switz City Rail-
road, now known as the Bedford & Bloomfield branch of the Monon railroad,
the building of this road ha\-ing been made necessary in order that the products
of the (juarries could l)e shi^jped to (lutside markets. Colonel \'oris realized a
fortune from his stone interests, which interests he eventually disposed of
and. in 1891. he organized the Citizens National Bank of Bedford, of which
he was elected president. He was also president of the Citizens Trust Com-
pany, of the Green Hill Cemetery Association, and of the Bedford Light,
Heat cK: Power Compau}-. in which he had acquired a controlling interest.
Colonel \'oris was one of the most enterprising and progressive business men
in Bedford, and to him was due in a large measure the splendid progress which
characterized the city of his adoption. He was in a large sense the father of
the stone industrv here and to him more than to any other man may be attrib-
uted the development of this gigantic enterprise whichhas made the name of
Bedford known the world over. Although straightforward and unostenta-
tious, and a man who delighted in keeping the even tenor of his way as far
as was consistent with good citizenship, he made his influence felt among
those with whom he mingled. Strong mental endowment, invincible courage
and a determined will, coupled with an honesty of purpose that hesitated at no
obstacle, so entered into his composition as to render him a dominant factor
in the business world and a leader of men in important enterprises.
In politics Colonel Voris was an ardent supporter of the Republican
party and in the national convention at Chicago in i860 he was active in
securing the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. He was at one time the candi-
date of his party for judge of the tenth judicial circuit, being opposed by
Judge Bicknell, l)ut, the district being largely Democratic, he was defeated.
In 1876 he was his part}"s candidate for judge of the supreme court, but met
defeat, together with the rest of the state ticket. Religiously, he had been,
since early manhood, a memljcr of the Presbyterian church, of which he was
an elder for fifty-three years, and to the support of w^hich he was a liberal
contributor. The death of Colonel Voris occurred on Saturday, December 2,
191 1 ; his widow still resides in Bedford, where she is highly esteemed by all
who know her. Mrs. Voris, to whom the Colonel was married on November
16, 1858, bore the maiden name of Antoinette Rawlins. To them were born
two children, Joseph R. AViris, president of the Citizens National Bank of
Bedford, being the only one living.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. ^IXf-
J. E. P. HOLLAND, M. D.
The life of the distinguished physician and pubhc-spirited man of affairs
whose name appears above affords a striking example of well defined pur-
pose with the ability to make that purpose subserve not only his own ends
but the good of his fellow men as well. He has long held distinctive prestige,
in a calling which requires for its basis sound mentality and intellectual disci-
pline of a high order, supplemented by the rigid professional training and
thorough mastery of technical knowledge with the skill to apply the same,
without which one cannot hope to rise above mediocrity in ministering to
human ills.
Dr. J. E. P. Holland, who holds distincti\e preferment as a specialist
in the treatment of e}'e, ear and nose ailments, was born at Detroit, Michigan,
on November 27, 1876, and is a son of James P. and Leonora (McDougall)
Holland, of whom the father was a native of Scotland, who came to the
United States and settled in New York city. Subsequently he moved to De-
troit and still later to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he successfully followed his
profession as a mechanical engineer, in which he was considered an expert.
He was successful in his profession and is now living a retired life. To hin'i
and his wife were born two children, the subject of this sketch and Charlotte,
who is now the wife of Dr. Leonard Booth, of Milwaukee. In the public
schools of Milwaukee and Chicago the subject of this sketch received the
elements of his education, and having decided to take up the practice of
medicine he matriculated in the department of medicine of Purdue Univer-
sity, where he was graduated with the class of 1906. Immediately afterward
he engaged in the active practice at Bloomington, where for about six years
he enjoyed his full share of the public patronage in his line. However, he
desired to still further perfect himself in the science to which he had devoted
his life and he went to Europe, where for a time he gave critical study to
diseases of the eye, ear and nose, and on his return to Bloomington he devoted
his attention specifically to this branch of the practice of medicine. He has
a finely equipped office, the building in which he is located having been built
by himself with the purpose of establishing a hospital for the care of patients,
but about the same time a larger hospital was built at Bloomington Avhich
avoided the necessity of Doctor Holland's building, so that only a part of
the building is now used as an office and operating room. Doctor Holland
has achieved a splendid standing in his profession and since specializing, his
reputation as a skilled physician has attracted to him many patients from
distant localities, his patronage growing continually until today he enjoys
5l6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
one of the largest clienteles in this locality. In addition to his creditable
career in one of the most useful and exacting of professions he has also
proven an honorable member of the body politic.
In 1903 Doctor Holland was married to Beryl Showers, the daughter
of Charles H. and Maude E. Showers, one of the old and prominent families
of Monroe county who are referred to specifically elsewhere in this volume.
To the Doctor and his wife has been born one child, Charles Edwin.
Fraternally, Doctor Holland is a member of the Masonic order and is
also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Religiously, he and the members
of his family are affiliated with the Episcopal church.
JOEL L. HOBBS.
The best history of a community or state is that which deals most with
the lives and activities of its people, especially of those who, by their own
endeavor and indomitable energy, have forged to the front and placed them-
selves where thev deserve the title of progressive men. In this brief review
will be found the record of one who has outstripped the less active plodders
on the highway of life and achieved a career surpassed by few of his con-
temporaries, a career of marked success in agricultural affairs and a name
which all men who know him delight to honor owing to his upright life and
habits of thrift and industry.
Joel L. Hobbs, the popular and well known member of the board of
county commissioners of Lawrence county, Indiana, was born on November
7, 1858, in Granger county. Tennessee, and is the son of William G. and
N. E. (Hopson) Hobbs. the father a native of Lee county, Virginia, and the
mother of the state oi Alabama. William G. Hobbs was reared in Lee county,
Virginia, and after bis marriage there he came to Indiana, locating east of
Bedford, Lawrence county, where he acciuired a tract of land about four
miles distant from that city. He eventually acquired the ownership of several
different farms, to the cultivation of which he devoted his attention through-
out his active life. He was energetic and a good manager and was very suc-
cessful in his efforts. He and his wife both lived to advanced ages, his death
occurring in 1907 at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife's death occurred
in 1906, at the age of seventy-four years, at Henning, Illinois. They were
members of the Methodist Episcopal church, while, politically, the father was
an ardent supporter of the Republican party, taking a deep interest in public
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 517
affairs, but never aspiring to public office. Tbey were tbe parents of the fol-
lowing children : Samuel, a farmer at Redmon, Illinois; Caroline, deceased;
Joel L., the immediate subject of this sketch; Minerva, the wife of Joseph
Thrall, of Lawrence county, Indiana; Joseph, deceased, a soldier in 1861 ;
William, Jr., a timber man in Michigan ; Aylett. who is engaged in the lumber
business at Arthur, Illinois ; Florence is the wife of George J. Jones, of Eagle
Grove, Iowa; John is a railroad man at Mount Carmel, Illinois ; Leganie is the
wife of George Simpson, of Lawrence county.
Joel L. Hobbs received only a limited school education, being denied the
educational privileges which he would have enjoyed. He remained under the
parental roof until twenty years of age and then after his first marriage he
located east of Bedford, where he engaged in farming. ?Ie has devoted his
attention to this vocation tbroughuut his active life and in this has shown his
wisdom, for he has achieved a success which has been ]:ioth sure and continuous
and today is numbered among the most successful, enterprising and progres-
sive farmers of Lawrence county. He is the owner of one hundred and
thirty-four acres of fine land in Shawswick township, Lawrence county, of
which about one hundred acres are under cultivation, and here he carries on
general farming, raising all the crops common to this locality and giving a
share of his attention to the l^reeding and raising of live stock. His farm is
well improved, his comfortable and attractive residence, commodious and
well arranged barns and other features of the place showing him to be a man
of sound judgment and wise discrimination. Mr. Hobbs has been twice
married, his first union being with Nannie I. Younger, of Lawrence county,
Indiana, and the daughter of Michael and Mary (Cummings) Younger, also
natives of Lawrence county, where the father followed farming. Mrs.
Hobbs died in 1894, lea\'ing two chidren, Claude C. and Maude May, twins,
the former dying in infancy. Maude May became the wife of N. C. Plum-
mer, a farmer in Lawrence county. After the death of his first wife, Mr.
Hobbs married Clara Ramsey, the widow of Logan Ramsey, and the daugh-
ter of Thomas T. and Susan Stipps. Mrs. Hobbs' mother is deceased, but
her father is now a successful farmer in Shawswick township, Lawrence
county. To the subject's second union has been l>orn one son, Frank F., who
is at home with his parents.
Politically a Repu])lican, ^^Ir. Hobbs has all his life taken an intelligent
interest in puljlic aft'airs. especially in reference to the locality- in which he
factorv was his discharge (jf the official duties .,f this |)osition that he was
lives, and in recognition of his aljility and splendid cliaracter he was nom-
inated bv his i)artv and elected to the ofiice of countv commissioner. So satis-
5l8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
elected to succeed himself and is now a member of the board. Fraternally, he
has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Bedford for
twenty years, and takes an appreciative interest in the workings of that
society. He is a member of tb.e Christian church, while ]\Irs. Hobbs belongs
to the Methodist Episcopal church. i\Irs. Flobbs, by her marriage with Logan
Ramsey, was the mother of two children, namely: Nellie, the wife of Thomas
Bair. of Lawrence county, and Blanche, the wife of William Woods, also of
this county. In all the relations of life ]\Ir. Hobbs has been found faithful to
every trust confided in him and because of his genuine worth, courteous man-
ners and genial disposition he has won and retained the warm regard of all
with whom he has associated, the latter including the best people of the
county.
T. B. DUNCAN, M. D.
No other profession has accomplished, during the last half century, the
progress and development that have been made by the medical. The man
of original thought and action, whose textbook forms but the basis of future
work, has ever moved forward, taking advantage of and utilizing new dis-
coveries in the science and looking always for better methods, surer means
to the desired end. Such a man is he whose name forms the caption to this
sketch. In considering the character and career of this eminent member of
the medical fraternity, tlie impartial observer will not only be disposed to
rank him among the leading members of his profession in his locality, but
also as one of those men ()f broad culture and mental ken who have honored
mankind in general. Through a long and busv life, replete with honor and
success, he has been actuated by the highest motives, and to the practice of his
profession he has l)rought rare skill and resource, his quick perception and
almost intuitive judgment enabling him to make a correct diagnosis, alwavs
necessary thai proper treatment may be used. He has alwavs been a close
student of medical science, keeping in close touch with the latest advances
along that line, and he has lieen uniforml}- successful in the practice. Be-
cause of his high attainments and his exalted jjcrsonal character, he is emi-
nently entitled to representation in a work of this character.
J. B. Duncan was ].)orn on the i)aternal farmstead, about four miles
n(jrtheast of Bedford. Indiana, on March (>. 1856, and he is a scion of one of
the sterling pioneer families of this section of the state. His paternal grand-
father, William Duncan, better known as Judge Duncan, was horn in Teffer
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 519
son county, Kentucky, on March 8, 1802. On reaching manhocKl's years he
married ^larv H. ]\Ialott. who was born and reared in an adjoining county,
and their wedding journey to their new home in Lawrence county, Indiana,
was made on one horse. They settled on the John Younger farm, five miles
from Bedford, where Mr. Duncan lived until a1>out i860, then he moved to
Bedford, where he li\-ed until his death, which occurred on March 15, 1875.
His wife lived till April 29, 1887. William Duncan was a man of unusual
ability and early became a man of influence and prominence in the community.
He served as county judge several years and as county surveyor for thirty
years. He was very successful in his business affairs, becoming the owner of
over two thousand acres of land. Kind and charitable in disposition, he
reared to manhood and womanhood se\en orphan children besides his own
family of five children, all of whom became honored and respected citizens
of their respective communities. His five children were : Bolivar, father of
the subject of this sketch; Lycurgus ; Coleman; Judge H. C, of Bloomington;
Mrs. Dr. J. W. Xewland. All of these children are now deceased. Bolivar
Duncan was born on the farm northeast of Bedford in 1825, and his wife,
who bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Batman, was born at Bono, Law-
rence county, Indiana, in 1829. Bolivar Duncan was a farmer by vocation
and owned a fine tract of land, known as the Duncan farm, two miles south-
east of Bedford, where his death occurred on July 3, 1883. To him and his
wife were born nine children, namely: Isis, the .\ idow of Robert W. Day, of
Bedford; William P., who li\es on a part of the land which was entered by
his grandfather in 1835. and which is located about five miles southeast of
Bedford; Coleman, who is a retired farmer, is living at Louisville. Kentucky;
Doctor James B., the immediate subject of this sketch; Sallie E., the wife of
Robert C. Duncan, of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Robert S., a farmer and
large land owner, of Bedford; Nannie, the widow of J. W'. Newdand, of Bed-
ford; Clay W., proprietor of the Bedford Hardware Company, and Harry,
who died in December, 1894.
Dr. James B. Duncan was reared on the home farm and his earliest edu-
cational training was received in the little brick scIkidI house of the neigh-
borhood. Later he attended the Bedford high school and then for four years
he was engaged in teaching school. In 1876 he entered the Kentuck}' School
of [Medicine, at Louisville, where he was graduated in 187^, with the degree
of Doctor of Medicine, and he immediately entered upon the active practice
of his profession at Petersburg, Indiana. After thirteen years of successful
effort at Petersburg, Doctor Duncan, in 1894, came to Bedford and has since
been active among the leading medical practitioners of this l<)cality, command-
520 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ing his full share of patronage and winning the confidence and high regard of
all who know him. The Doctor has been successful in his material affairs and
is the owner of considerable valuable real estate. He is a member of the
Lawrence County Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society and
the American Medical Association. He possesses a large and well selected
library of professional and general literature and is well informed on public
questions, being a splendid con\'ersationalist and agreeable companion.
Doctor Duncan has been married three times, first to Mollie Knight, the
daughter of J. D. Knight, her death occurring in i88i, without issue. The
Doctor then married Sallie Carson, of Petersburg, Indiana, who bore him a
daughter, Georgia, now the wife of John C. Brumley, of Oakland, California.
Mrs. Sallie Duncan died in 1898, and in 1902 Doctor Duncan married Ollie
Batman, of Bloomington. Indiana, the daughter of Henry H. and Catherine
Batman.
Politically, the Doctor is an enthusiastic supporter of the Republican
party, in the past and present history of which he is proud, while religiously,
he is a member of the Christian church, in which he holds the office of elder.
Fraternally, he is a nieml)er i)t the Free and Accepted Masons, the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd I'Vllows and the Knights of Pythias. Owing to his
probity of character, his genuine worth, his professional ability and his kindly
and genial (Hsposition, the Doctor has gained a position as one of the earnest
men whose depth of charactci- and strict adherence to principle have called
forth the admiration of his contemporaries.
AMZI ATWATER.
By Prof. Theopliilus A. Wylie, from "History of Indiana University," 1891.
"Amzi Atwater was born November 9, 1839, at Mantua, Ohio, and com-
menced his academic education, 1853, at the Eclectic Institute, which after-
wards became Hiram College.* On leaving the institute, and after two years
*Mr. Atwater regards it us a part of liis education, next in value to that of his
early home training, tli.it he was at Hiram College during the presidency of James
A. Garfield. Mr. Garfield had entered the Eclectic in 1851, soon was a teacher and
became the president of the institution in 1856. Few strangers to Hiram can under-
stand the wonderful enthusiasm of the students for this man. Almost without e.xcep-
tion. they regarded him without an equal in the world. Again and again they prophe-
sied he would tecome the President of the United States. One of them said: "Then
hei,'au 1(1 grow up in nio .in admiration aud love for Garfield which has never abated,
the like of which 1 have never known,"
AMZI ATWATER
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 521
of teaching, he attended the Northwestern Christian Universitv ( now Butler)
at Indianapolis. Later he entered the junior class of Indiana University in
1865. In his senior year he was appointed principal pro tern of the preparator}'
department of the university, taking the place of Prof. James W^oodburn, the
principal of this department, who had died shortly before the commencement
of the college year 1865-6. In 1866 he graduated, receiving the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, and three years later the degree of blaster of Arts. After
graduation he was made adjunct professor of languages and principal of the
preparatory department of the university. This position he held until 1868,
when he was elected professor of Latin and Greek in Hiram College. While
holding that position he was called to the pastorate of the Disciples church
at Mentor, Ohio. In 1870 he was elected professor of Latin in Indiana Uni-
versity, and returned to Bloomington, where he has since remained and has,
since 1889, been vice-president of the university.
"Professor Atwater is well known as an able and interesting lecturer,
especially on educational topics. He lectured in the northeastern part of the
state in the interest of the university in the summer of 1875. and has since
frequently lectured on these and kindred subjects before literary societies and
institutes in the adjacent states. He married Miss Cortentia C. Munson, who
had been lady principal in Hiram College."'
Reference of President Hinsdale, Hiram College, to the Atwater family :
"Perhaps the best known family group of students that attended school at
Hiram, in the early period, were the Atwaters. three brothers and a sister.
Belonging to a well-known family in the vicinage and possessing abilities
and character, they naturally impressed themselves upon the school, both as a
group and as individuals."
Four ^Months in the \\'ar. from the Atwater Family History, published
by Francis Atwater: '■\\'hile at Northwestern Universitv, with three other
students, 'Sir. Atwater enlisted in ]\Iay, 1864. for the hundred-day service, in
the One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Indiana A'olunteers, Colonel
Vance. The plan of the campaign was, while Grant should assail Richmond
in the East, to send General Sherman, with well-drilled troops, through the
heart of the Confederacy in the West, and thus break the back of the rebellion.
The short-service, raw recruits were to fill the place of the trained soldiers
on guard duty. The plan worked and really ended the war. They had their
little part in it. The regiment went South by way of Louisville and Nash-
ville, the boys often singing. 'John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.' And they really felt that the great soul of
522 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the slave liberator was someway in their van. The regiment camped, and
drilled, and guarded the important points at Nashville, later at Stevenson,
Alabama. Being sent on some duty to Chattanooga in July (it was the time
when Sherman was marching into, or through, Georgia) our 'tenderfoot'
soldier had the j^leasure of climbing with peaceful Alpine stock, or perpendic-
ular ladder, the steeps of Lookout Mountain, near where Hooker, the pre-
ceding November, had forced his way up above the clouds in the face of blood
and fire. A visit to Mission Ridge, on the east of the city, brought clearly to
light the proofs of the hard fighting where Sherman, co-operating with
Hooker, attacked Bragg and, after repeated repulses, had driven him head-
long from the ridge. The trees that stood in the center of the fierce conflict
were riddled with bullets, and many branches and even trunks were broken
off. You could even then pick up unexploded shells and cannon balls on the
blood-drenched plain in front of the rebel breastworks, and the limbs of dead
rebel soldiers protruding from their shallow graves on the mountain side
bore painful witness to their cheap and hasty burial. These last days of
'64, the trains of the South were loaded with disabled soldiers and wounded
men had their stories to tell of the bloody battles near Atlanta, where General
Sherman, by skillful maneuvering and desperate fighting, was forcing the
Confederates from their well-chosen and fortified positions. It was the be-
ginning of the end. By September ist Atlanta was taken, and the success
of the great campaign planned by Grant was assured. A little later Sherman
began his great march to the sea. The time was up and the playing at war
by our hundred-day men was over. With the loss of a very few, they rode
back to Indianapolis."
In 1882 Mr, Atwater made a vacation trip to Europe. He crossed the
Alps on the 4th of July, passing by Genoa and Pisa to Rome and thence to
Naples. Here he lodged in the home and had as his guide the famous anti-
quarian and ex-consul, Dr. J. C. Fletcher, of Indianapolis. No more per-
fectly equipped leader of sightseeing could possibly be found. With him, he
visited ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. In the former of these, the ex-
plorations perhaps were still going on and the relics of all sorts were being
transferred to a museum in Najiles. With Dr. Fletcher he visited Pozzuoli
(Puteoli, where Paul landed), the famous lake Avernum and brought off
interesting relics dug up at old Ctnnae on the coast. One day the Doctor left
his pupil to go alone and he went up l)y carriage, without guide, the side of
Mount Vesu^'ius, took the steam tramcar lift to near the top and scrambled
up through sand and ashes to the summit. The visitor finds himself on that
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 523
high lookout really far above the clouds. The volcano was at that time in a
mild state of eruption, but as it looked very innocent ( though the Italian at-
tendant reported lava flowing in places) the venturesome sight-seer passed
down by a little slanting path into the immense crater, peering through the
dense, misty darkness for a sight of the cavernous opening whence the smoke
and fire were pouring. But August had come and, taking the train for the
North, having already made his stay in Rome, the tourist hastened by Flor-
ence without stopping to view its treasures of art or glance into its old
churches. At the close of a hot summer day he dropped into Venice, whose
drays and carriages are boats and whose streets are waterways. It was here
restful sightseeing to ride by gondola among the wonders of this famous city
on the sea. On the other side of the Alps his old Hiram friend, the noted
consul. Frank H. Mason, made his stay at Lake Lucerne most delightful. He
stopped for a few hours at Heidelberg — the old Gennan university. The route
was next down the Rhine and across the straits of Dover into England, the
ancient home of his forefathers. A week in London, a day at Windsor palace
and castle, and the meadow of Runnymede, where King John signed the
Magna Charta ; an hour or two at Oxford, time enough to glance at the great
university and view the spot where Cranmer Ridly and Latimer perished at the
stake ; a Sunday at Chester and a sea-sick voyage from Southampton to New
York completed his hasty trip to Europe. It was undertaken to study Ro-
man antiquities, and was a success and an inspiration.
In 1893, after more than a quarter of a century of teaching in the uni-
versity, Mr. Atwater left the institution, returned to the ministry and spent
several years of pastoral work among the churches, one of which was near
Yale University and the residence of his ancestors, the other at the home of
his childhood in Ohio. A little later he was chosen field secretary for the
endowment of Butler College. Indianapolis. Since that service he has re-
turned to Bloomington and made that place (his fa\orite town) his residence,
his son, Munson D. Atwater, having for manv years a desirable position with
the Bell Telephone Company either in New York, Indianapolis or Chicago.
About 1904 Indiana University conferred on Mr. Atwater the title of Emeri-
tus Professor of Latin. This is an honorary title, involving no duties and
conferring no salary. He prizes this honor the more because man}- of the
present faculty and members of the board of trustees who voted for it were
students of his, irt years long past. It is an interesting fact that lie is the only
person now living of the faculty of 1865, when he entered it. Nor does any
member of the I)oard of trustees of that dav survive. Teachers and mana-
gers and officers of all kinds have passed to the other side.
524 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
About his last public duty in the university was to deHver the baccalau-
reate— the address to the graduating class — June 19, 1904. The text was,
"They that are in health need not the physician, but they that are sick ; I came
not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." The duty impressed upon
the "educated man" was to devote his powers and his education to meeting
the world's needs.
In March, 1905, Mr. Atwater joined with several other professors and
citizens in forming the Monroe County Historical Society. Prof. James A.
Woodburn, who had been the first to suggest the enterprise, became its first
secretary, largely gave it direction and helped to make it a success. The com-
missioners wisely conceded to it a conveniently located room in the new court
house and suitable furniture. The society is now filling an important place in
the county.
Mr. Atwater having now (November, 1913,) reached seventy- four, is
pleasantly spending his old age at his home in Bloomington. He devotes
much of his time to his books and papers, perhaps preparing some of his
addresses for publication or it may be simply for the binding of the type-
writer. He assists the minister of the Christian church in caring for the
congregation, which he has known almost half a century. He teaches his
Bible class and counsels with his brethren of other congregations in the county,
preaches an occasional sermon, is deeply interested in religion, education and
government and is in ardent sympathy with men and missions and all efforts
for the world's advancement.
A\'.\l/rER E. WOODBURN.
The success of men in business or anv vocation depends upon character
as well as upon knowledge, it being a self-evident proposition that honesty is
the best policy. Business demands confidence and where that is lacking busi-
ness ends. In every comnuuiity some men are known for their upright lives,
strong common sense and moral worth rather than for their wealth or political
standing. Their neighljors and acquaintances respect them, the younger gen-
erations heed their example, and when, they "wrap the drapery of their
couches about them and lie down to |)leasant dreams'" posterity listens with
reverence to the story of tlieir (|uiet and useful lives. Among such men of
a past generation in Indiana was the late Walter K. Woodburn, of Blooming-
ton, Monroe county, who was not only a progressi\-e man of affairs, successful
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 5^5
in material pursuits, but a man uf modest and unassuming demeanor, well
educated, a fine type of the reliable, self-made American, a friend to the poor,
charitable to the faults of his neighbors and who always stood ready to unite
with them in every good work and acti\e in the support of laudable public
enterprises. He was proud of Bloomington and if the grand state of Indiana
and zealous of their progress and prosperity. He was a man who in every
respect merited the high esteem in which he was uni\ersally held, for he was
a man of public spirit, intellectual attainments and exemplary character.
Walter E. Woodburn was born in Bloomington, Monroe county, Indi-
ana, on February 7, 1848, and was the son of James and Martha (Hemphill)
Woodburn, the former having l)een a native of the Chester district. South
Carolina. James Woodburn was a man of splendid character and fine intel-
lectual attainments and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1865, he
was a teacher in the Indiana State University and enjoyed a high standing
among his fellow educators. Walter E. \\\)()dburn received his preliminary
education in the Bloomington public schools and for two years was a student
in the State University, being compelled to relinquish his studies there on
account of the death of his father, when he became the chief support and
reliance of his widowed mother and the younger children. He nobly assumed
his full share of the burden thus thrown upon him and from that time to the
close of his life his record was one of unceasing activity. For practically a
third of a century he was connected with the First National Bank of Bloom-
ington, and during the greater part of this time he was at the cashier's desk.
rendering honest and faithful service to the institution and doing much to
keep it among the leading banking institutions of this section of the state. In
evidence of the exalted position 'Mr. \A'oodburn held in the minds of those
familiar with his history, the following lines are quoted from the Blooming-
ton press : "There was no man who made more impression upon the com-
munity than Walter E. Woodburn. For over thirty-five years he has been an
active and energetic part of the city, known of all men and in all avenues of
trade and professions as the soul of honor. For over thirty years as cashier
of the First National Bank he has been the fountain head of reliable infoi"-
mation ; a statement quoted as being from him passed as an accepted fact.
IMr. Woodburn was not radical in word, but he was firm in belief and no one
needed to ask his position on any question of right or any policy that meant
the welfare and best interests of the city. As a banker almost all his business
life, money was a sacred trust to him and, without a seeming thought of
taking credit for the statement, he often said that in the thirty-two years of
his work as a cashier he ne\-er touched a cent of the money or knowingly
526 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
violated the laws of the institution. It was a life principle with him not to
speculate and, though he was in a position where information was first-hand
as to trades and prosi^ects, these things were no temptation. No man could
have been more faithful to the work before him. His view of business w-as
that his time and energies all belonged to the bank and. though often impor-'
tuned by the officials to take rest and recreation, he always refused, and it is
doubtful if any man in the citv for so long a time has such a faithful record
of duty well performed. In all these thirty-two years he has probably not
been absent from his place in the bank a month all told until the breakdown
in his health last summer. He applied himself constantly to his work and in
these few statements is told the life's story of an honest and faithful man."
Mr. W'oodburn died at his home in Bloomington on ]\Iay 4. igo6.
On November 27, 187S, Walter E. Woodburn was married to Anna K.
Arnott, the daughter of Rev. Moses and 3*Iary (Pollock) Arnott, the former
a native of New York state and the latter of Penns3'lvania. At the time of
his death Rev. Arnott was pastor of a Presbyterian church at Hanover, Jef-
ferson county, Indiana. He was a man of good education, high intellectual
attainments and was a successful and popular minister of the gospel. To
Mr. and Mrs. Woodburn were born the following children: Laura, who be-
came the wife of Prof. D. O. McGovney, who is connected with Tulane
University, at 'New Orleans, Louisiana: Walter F., who is connected with the
Collins & Seidel grocery store in Bloomington, married Helen ^Marshall and
they have three children, Frank, John and Margaret : Arnott, who lives at home
is an invalid ; Mary and Martha, twins, who remain at home, were students
in the same class in the State L'niversitv. The familv home is most beauti-
fully situated on North College avenue, comprising ample grounds, from
wliich may be had an inspiring view of the surrounding country in all direc-
tions.
Politically, Mr. Woodburn was an earnest supporter of the Republican
party, especially in its views of financial matters, of which he had made a
deep study. He took an interest in public affairs and performed his full duty
as a citizen, attending his partv conventions and primaries, but he never
aspired to fill any public office, though in his earlier days he had served as
treasurer of Bloomington and as a member of the school board, where he
rendered efficient and appreciated service. At the time of his death he was
treasurer of Indiana LTniversity and also treasurer of the Bloomington Na-
tional Building Association. Mr. Woodburn had a deep and conscientious
regard for the spiritual verities and for many years was a leading member
of the United Presbvterian church, of which he was a member of the official
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 527
board and treasurer for twenty-five years. He was a regular attendant at
the various services of the church and by his daily life he set an example of
correct living well worthy of emulation. Always calm and dignified, never
demonstrative, his life was, nevertheless, a persistent plea, more by precept
and example than by written or spoken word, for the purit\' and grandeur of
right principles and the Ijeauty and elevation of wholesome character. He
had the greatest s}-mpathy for his fellow men and was ever willing to aid and
encourage those \\ho were struggling to aid themselves against adverse fate,
yet in this, as in everything else, he was entirely unostentatious. To him home
life was a sacred trust, friendship was inviolable and nothing could swerve
him from the path of rectitude and honor.
CHARLES S. SMALL.
The biographies of successful men are instructive as guides and incen-
tives to those whose careers are yet to l^e achieved. The examples thev fur-
nish of patient purpose and consecutive endeavor strongly illustrate what is
in the power of each to accomplish. The gentleman whose life story herewith
is briefly set forth is a conspicuous example of one who has lived to good
purpose and achieved a definite degree of success in the special sphere to
which his talents and energies have been devoted.
Charles S. Small, the well known and popular cashier of the First Na-
tional Bank of Bloomington, was Ijorn in the city in which he now resides on
July I, 1862, and is the son of James and Matilda (Riddle) Small. These
parents were both natives of Ireland, who early in life came to America, the
father at the age of twelve years and the mother when seven years of age.
They located in different communities, the mother's family settling in Penn-
sylvania, while the father was brought to Lidiana. Here he became a farmer
early in life, in which he met with success, and subsequently engaged in the
hardware business in Bloomington, which he conducted until the time of his
retirement shortly before his death, his wife dying in 1905. They became
the parents of six children, of whom all are deceased excepting the subject
of this sketch. The latter has also one half-sister, Nancy Jane, who keeps
house for him.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools and in
the preparatory department of the State University, and his first employment
on his own account was as clerk in a furniture store, where he was engaged
one year and then for a short time was employed in a like capacity in a book
528 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Store. He was faithful to his duties and made friends easily, his career
being such as to gain the confidence and good will of the community. On
February 15, 1881, he accepted a position in the First National Bank of
Bloomington and several years later was promoted to the position of assistant
cashier, the duties of which he performed until 1906, when he was elected
cashier of this well known institution, and has since served in that capacity.
He has been most efficient and painstaking in the discharge of his duties and
has gained the commendation of his associates in the bank, as well as the
approval of its patrons. The First National Bank has long occupied a position
among the leaders of the strong financial institutions of Monroe county and
a large part of the success which has characterized the institution has been due
to the untiring efforts and personal influence of Mr. Small.
Fraternallv, INIr. Small is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Ben-
evolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Free and Accepted Masons, be-
longing to both blue lodge and chapter in the latter organization. Religiously,
he is a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he is a regular attendant
and to which he contributes ]il)erally of his means. Personally, he is affable
and popular with the people of his city and ready at all times to lend aid to
all laudable measures and enterprises for the general good. By a life con-
sistent in motive and because of his many fine qualities he has earned the
sincere regard of all who know him, and his success in his .special field of
endeavor has been well merited.
ASHER S. WILCOX.
In holding up for consideration those facts which have shown the dis-
tinction of a true, useful and honorable life, a life characterized by perse-
verance, energy and well defined purpose, such as was lived by the late Asher
S. Wilcox, long a well known business man at Tunnelton, Lawrence county,
Indiana, will be but to reiterate the dictum pronounced upon the man by the
people who knew him so long and well, for the subject of this memoir pre-
sented in his career an interesting study of the manner in which adherence
to principle and sturdy endeavor may win worthy distinction. Throughout
an interesting and active career duty was ever his motive of action, and use-
fulness to his fellow men not by any means a secondary consideration. He
achieved much in an individual way not dependent upon hereditary prestige,
but proved himself worthy as a factor in local public affairs and as a citizen
ASHER S.WILCOJ^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 529
and business man of the utmost loyalty and progressiveness. He carried for-
ward to successful completion whatever he undertook and his business meth-
ods were ever in strict conformity with the standard ethics of commercial
life — in brief, his is the story of a life whose success is measured by its use-
fulness, a life that made for good in all its relations with the world.
Asher S. Wilcox was born on April 22, 1S43. ™ Washington county. In-
diana, and he was the son of Hiram and Julia (Clark) Wilcox, both of whom
were born in the state of Vermont, having come to Indiana from that state
with their parents, who were also natives of Vermont. Hiram Wilcox was
for a number of years a successful farmer in Washington county, Indiana,
and a business man of considerable importance in his community. To him
and his wife were born the following children : Mary. Alonzo. Asher S.,
Lorrena, Thalus, Solon and Amber.
Asher S. Wilcox received a common school education, which was lib-
erally supplemented during after years by such reading and habits of close
observation, that he was considered a well informed man. In young manhood
he followed the pursuit to which he had been reared, that of farming and
stock raising, also doing an extensive business in the buying and shipping of
stock, carr\nng on his operations in partnership with his brother, Thalus M.,
in Bono township, this county. They were successful and in 1887 INIr. Wil-
cox located in Tunnelton and engaged in the mercantile business, in which his
efforts were rewarded with gratifying results. He also owned a mill here.
His brother. Thalus, was associated with him to the time of his death, which
occurred in 1900, after which the brother's widow took his place in the firm.
Eventually, William H. Huddleston bought an interest in the business. ^Ir.
Wilcox remained actively in management of his varied interests up to the
time of his death, which occurred on July 15. IQO/'. and l)y his sound iudg-
ment. persistent efi:'orts and integrity in all of his transactions lie gained a
comfortable competence, owning besides the interests already mentioned, six
hundred acres of valuable farm land near Tunnelton and se\eral houses and
lots in Tunnelton. The store l)uilding was burned on Xovember 13, 1907.
and in 19 10 [Mrs. Wilcox erected a splendid and substantial brick store build-
ing. The mill burned in 19 12 and is now Iieing rebuilt by a local crimpanv.
INIrs. \\'ilcox having sold her interest in the mill, though she is a stockholder
in the new company. The fine residence in which [\Irs. Wilcox now resides
was built by [\Ir. ^^'ilcox in 1892. and is a comfortable and attractive home.
On [March 19. 1874. [Mr. A^'ilcox married Ellen B. Speake. a native of
Jackson countv. Indiana, and the daughter of Tames and Ann (Stutsman)
(34)
530 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Speake, he a native of North CaroHna and she of Jackson county, Indiana,
though of old Pennsylvania stock. James Speake came to Jackson county,
Indiana, in childhood with his mother, and here he received a limited educa-
tion. He learned the trade of a cooper and also made many flat boats. He
died in 1854. She died on June 12, 1909, at the advanced age of ninety-one
years. She was a member of the Christian church. They were the parents
of the following children: Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of E. Wright
and the mother of five children: Ella B., Mrs. Wilcox; Emma, who became
the wife of Josiah Huffington, of Oklahoma, is the mother of six children.
Politically, Mr. Wilcox was an earnest supporter of the Democratic
party and took an active part in campaigns, though he never aspired to public
office for himself, though often solicited. Fraternally, he was a member of
the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men. Religiously, Mr.
Wilcox was an attendant of the Christian church, of which he was a warm
supporter, giving liberally to the support of the society and doing all in his
power to a(l\ance its welfare. Although his life was a busy one, his every-
dav affairs making heavy demands upon his time, he ne\'er shrank from his
duties as a citizen and his obligations to the church, his neighbors and his
friends. "l"o him home life was a sacred trust. Friendship was inviolable and
nothing could swerve him from the path of rectitude and honor. Owing to
his splendid success, his genuine wortli anil his genial disDosition, he easily
won friends and alwavs retained tliem, enjoying a marked degree of popu-
larity in the locality where so many of his active years had l)een spent.
PHILIP Kh:.\RNEY P.USKIRK.
The character of a community is determined in a large measure by the
lives of a conn)aratively few of its members. If its moral and intellectual
status ])e good, if in a scjcial way it is a pleasant place in which to reside, if
its reputation as to the integrity of its citizens has extended into other locali-
ties, it will lie found that the standards set l)y the leading men have been high
and their influence such as to mould the characters and shape the lives of
those with whom the_\- mingle In placing the late Philip K. Buskirk in the
front rank of >uch men, justice In rendered a biographical fact universally
recognized throughout the locality long honored by his citizenship by those
at all familiar with his histor}-. Although a quiet and unassuming man, with
no amI)ition for pul)lic position or leadership, he contributed much to the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 53I
material, civic and moral advancement of his community, while his admirable
(|ualities of head and heart and the straightforward, upright course of his
daily life won for him the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he
moved, and, although he is now sleeping the "sleep of the just." his influence
still lives and his memory is greatly revered.
Philip K. Buskirk was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on the i ith of Sep-
tember, i860, and he was the son of George A. and Martha Buskirk, pioneer
residents and honored citizens of the city of Bloomington, now deceased.
He received his education in the common schools of his native city and the
State University, graduating from the latter institution in 1884, having
attended an Episcopalian school in Michigan early in life. He also studied
law and was admitted to the bar. His first active connection with local busi-
ness affairs in a commercial way was with the lumber industry, in which he
engaged for a number of years, but later in life became prominently identified
with the stone business, in which he held large interests. In this connection
the following little story is reprinted from the Bedford Mail of about the date
of Mr. Buskirk's death, and throws light on the character of the man whose
Career was so closely identified with the great stone industry : "The death of
Philip Kearney Buskirk at Bloomington yesterday removes the third of four
men who formed a partnership under the firm name of Perry. Matthews &
Buskirk and opened at Horseshoe quarry what, as development progressed,
proved to be the most valuable stone property in the oolitic belt. The men
were Captain Gilbert K. Perry, deceased, of EUettsville ; P. K. Buskirk, of
Bloomington; Fred Matthews, of Bloomington, and W. X. Matthews, de-
ceased, of Bedford. Fred Matthews is the surviving member of that old
firm who, according to their own story, risked every cent of wealth they
could scrape together to develop the Horseshoe property. It has often been
their boast that had the stone in this quarry been of an inferior quality they
would have gone broke. I'ortune smiled on the undertaking and they each
realized fortunes on their in\-estments. later selling it for six hundred thou-
sand dollars to a company that the Monon was interested in." Mr. Buskirk
was interested in a num1)er of other lousiness enterprises, in all of which he'
was an influential factor, and at the time of his death he was [^resident of the
First National Bank of Bloomington, president of the Empire Stone Com-
pany, and he was a heavy stockholder in a gold dredging company at Oro-
ville, California. Of his standing in the community in which he lived, the
Bloomington Daily Telephone had the following to say : ""It is almost an im-
possibility to find words to do justice to the memory of a man like P. K. Bus-
kirk. He was easily one of the most prominent of a score of prominent men
wlx) have made Bloomington and the stone licit what it is today. He was
532 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
identified with every public movement and most of the private concerns which
have built up the community. He was one of the wealthiest of Bloomington's
citizens, being interested in many different business ventures."
Philip K. Buskirk died very suddenly on August 22, 1907, his death
resulting from a stroke of heart trouble, from which he suffered only a few
minutes. The funeral services, which were held at the family home on North
\\'alnut street, were attended by a large concourse of citizens who desired to
thus pay their last tribute of respect to one who had during his life endeared
himself to all. Religious serices were conducted by Rev. Horace A. GoUins,
pastor of the College Avenue Methodist Episcopal church, while the services
at Rose Hill cemetery were in charge of the Masonic fraternity.
In 1892, Philip K. Buskirk was imited in marriage with Tunie Hays,
the daughter of James McDonald Hays and Ella (James) Hays. James Hays,
who was lx)rn near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, was a merchant tailor during the
early years of his active life, but later became a successful shoe merchant. He
was an early settler of Putnam county, Indiana, where he is still residing, his
home being at Greencastle. To Mr. and Mrs. Buskirk was born one son, Hays,
who is now a student in the State University, where he is taking a si>ecial
course in ecoriomics. Mr. Buskirk and his son traveled a great deal, their trips
covering the greater portion of this country. The family home on North
Walnut street, which was built by Mr. Buskirk, is generally considered to be
the most lieautiful residence in Bloomington, being built of stone and elegantly
finished and furnished.
Politically, Mr. Buskirk gave his support to the Republican party and
took an active and intelligent interest in public affairs, though never an aspi-
rant for public office. Fraternally, he was a member of the Masonic order,
in which he had taken the degrees of the Scottish rite, and was also a member
of the Mystic Shrine and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He
belonged to the Phi Kapj^a Psi college fraternity. Religiously. Mr. Buskirk
held his membership in the INletliodist Episcopal church, to the support of
which he was a lilicral CDUtriliutor and in the prosperity of which he was
deeply interested.
Philip K. Buskirk g"a\e to the worlrl the Iicst of an essentiallv virile,
loyal and nu1)le nature and his standard of integrity and honor was indexible.
He was a man of high civic ideals and was a warm supporter of all measures
and enterprises tending to advance the general welfare of the community,
lie was the architect of his own fortune and upon his entire career there rests
no l)leniish. for he was true to the highest ideals and principles in business,
ci\'ic and social life and was one of the world's noble armv of workers, having
li\ed and la])ored to worthv ends.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 533
JOHN G. HARRIS.
The gentleman whose name forms the caption to this sketch belongs
to that class of men who win in life's battles by sheer force of personality
and determination, coupled with soundness of judgment and keen discrim-
ination, and in whatever he has undertaken he ha^ shown himself to be a man
of ability and honor, always ready to lend his aid in defending principles
affecting the public good, having ably and conscientiously served his county in
the capacity of legislator and his city as mayor, while in other phases of civic
life he has so ordered his life as to earn the unqualified endorsement and
support of his fellow citizens.
John G. Harris was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 12th of October,
1869, and is a son of Dr. John E. and Katherine A. (Robbins) Han'is, both
of whom were natives of the old Blue Grass state. These parents came to
Monroe county. Indiana, in 1876, locating in Bloomington, where for a num-
ber of years the Doctor was prominent in his p'^ofession. He and his wife
are now both deceased. They became the parents of three children, Mrs.
Ella Niceley, John G. and Edward.
John G. Harris attended the public schools of Bloomington and then
became a student in the State University, where he was graduated in 1896
from the law department. He then engaged in the practice of law, which
demanded his attention for a time, then, because of failing health, he went
West, where he remained about ten years. During a part of this time he
resided at Hobart, Oklahoma, and during his residence there he was three times
elected to the office of police judge. Some time after his return to Blooming-
ton, Mr. Harris was elected to the Indiana Legislature, sen-ing during the
session of 1909-10 and representing his constituency in such a manner as to
win their commendation. In 1909 Mr. Harris was also elected mayor of the
city of Bloomington and is the present incumbent of that office, having been
re-elected in 191 3 for a term of four years. Possessing good business ability,
sound judgment and rare discretion, he has conducted the ofiice for the
benefit of the people of his city, looking carefully after the public welfare in
every respect and thereby winning the approval of his fellow citizens. Pos-
sessing a genial personality and entirely unassuming in manner, [Mr. Harris
enjoys a wide acquaintance, including a large circle of warm and loyal per-
sonal friends.
In 1890 Mr. Harris was married to Florence Barnes, the daughter of
Stephen Barnes, one of the early settlers of Monroe county, and to the union
534 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
have been born three children, namely : Ella, the wife of Dr. Melvin Ross
Edward, of Indianapolis, and Claude, who remains at home.
Politically, Mr. Harris has ever given his support to the policies and
candidates of the Democratic party, while his religious membership is with
the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free
and Accepted Masons, being affiliated with the blue lodge, the chapter of
Royal Arch Masons, the council of Royal and Select Masters, the command-
en- of Knights Templar, while he is also a member of the Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order
of Moose, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Knights of the Maccabees.
Mr. Harris is, first of all, distinctively a man of the people, whose interests
he has at heart and for whom he would not hesitate to make any reasonable
sacrifice. He recognizes no aristocracy except that of true and noble man-
hood, based upon genuine worth and merit, for. although American and with
faith in the ultimate glorious destiny of our free institutions, he believes the
best way to realize that destiny is for each member of the body politic to live
up to his highest ideas of right, which, to the best of his ability, he has en-
deavored to do.
WILLIAM A. BROWN.
The history of a cuunty or state, as well as that of a nation, is chiefly a
chronicle of the lives and deeds uf those who have conferred honor and dig-
nity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by those
of its representative citizens and yields its tribute of admiration and respect
to those whose works and actions constitute the record of a community's
prosperity and pride. Among the prominent citizens of Lawrence county
who are well known liecause of their success in business affairs and the part
they have taken in the civic affairs of the locality is he whose name appears
at the head of this article and who is now the efficient and popular cashier
of the Bedford National Bank.
William A. Brown was born in Orange county, Indiana, on the 24th of
September, i860. He is the son of Jonathan L. and Sarah A. (Davis)
Brown, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Orange
county, this state. They are both now deceased, the father dying in 1884 and
the mother in 1901. They were the parents of eleven children, of which
number nine are still living, namely: Louis P., who lives on a farm near
Orangeville, Orange countv, Indiana; Jennie, of French Lick. Indiana; Mrs.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 535
Mary A. Burton, also of Frencli Lick; Thomas L., assistant city detective,
Denver. Colorado; Mrs. Helen Newland, of Bogard. Carroll county, Missouri;
Mrs. Emma Murphy, of Cotton, California; H. S., who is buyer for the W. H.
Block Company, of Indianapolis, and William A., the immediate subject of
this sketch.
William A. Brown was reared on the home farm in Orange county until
he was nineteen years old. and is indebted to the common schools of that
locality for his education. His first employment away from the farm was as
a clerk in a country store, where he remained for seven years. In 1887 he
came to Bedford and engaged in the grocery business, in which, by strict
attention to business and the wants of his customers, he built up a large and
profitable trade. In 1898 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for
the office of county treasurer, and was elected, serving two years in that
office and performing his duties to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
He was the first Democrat to hold the ofiice of countv treasurer in twenty-five
}ears. On the expiration of his official term. ^Ir. Brown, on January i. 1901,
entered the Bedford National Bank in the capacity of assistant cashier, and
eight months later he was elected cashier, which position he has retained to
the present time. The Bedford National Bank is one of the strong and influ-
ential financial institutions of Lawrence county, and much of the prosperity
which it enjoys is due to the sound business judgment and personal efforts of
Mr. Brown, who has devoted himself assiduously to its interests.
Aside from his banking interests Mr. Brown has been in various ways
identified with things which have had to do with the prosperity of the com-
munity. He was elected a member of the city school board in 1911 and is
now treasurer of that body. In 1904 he assisted in the organization of the
Bedford Telephone Company, of which he served as a member of the board
of directors and treasurer until the plant was sold to the Central Union Com-
pany in 191 1. In other ways he has shown a commendable desire to contril>
ute in every possible way to the general welfare of the community, an attitude
that has been duly appreciated by his fellow citizens.
On September 29, 1887, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Addie
Trueblood, the daughter of W. F. Trueblood, of Salem, Washington county,
Indiana, and they have one child, Alleyne.
Politically, Mr. Brown is an earnest advocate of Democratic principles,
while religiously, he is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church,
of which he is a steward. He is a wide reader and close observer, taking
broad and intelligent views of men and affairs, while personally, he enjoys a
high degree of popularity in the community, possessing as he does the quali-
ties that win and retain warm friendships.
536 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
C. H. MARXSON.
In the history of Bloomington. as applying to the business interests, the
name of C. H. Alarxson occupies a conspicuous place, for through a number
of years he has been one of the representatives uf the city's commercial life,
progressive, enterprising and persevering. Such ((ualities always win success
sooner or later and to Mr. Marxson they have brought a satisfactory reward
for his well directed effort, and while he has benefited himself and the com-
munity in a material way. he has also been an influential factor in the moral,
education and social progress of the community.
C. H. ]\IarxMjn was born in I'nionville. ]\Ionroe county, Indiana, on the
I2th of (3ctober, 1871. and is a son of John F. and Augusta (Uhl) Marxson.
The father, who was a native of Germany, came to Indiana in young man-
hood, located at Unionville. where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which
have engaged his attention to the present time and in the prosecution of which
he has been fairly successful, being the owner of a fine farm of sixty acres.
To him and his wife were born eight children, of whom five are still living.
Politically, he gives his support to the Democratic party and holds a high
position in the community where he has lived and labored for so many years.
C. H. ]\Iarxson secured his education in the common schools of his home
community, and on attaining mature years he entered the Showers factory,
where he was employed for five years. He then accepted a clerkship in a
shoe and clothing store, wdiere he remained for ten years, and at the end of
that period he entered into a partnership with William N. Graham, under
the name of the Eagle Clothing Store. The business was prosperous from
the start and in 1909 Air. Marxson bought his partner's interest in the con-
cern and has since conducted the business on his own account. He carries a
large and well selected stock of goods, valued at from fifteen to twenty thou-
sand dollars, and enjoys his full share of the patronage in his line, due to
his earnest effort to satisfy and please all who ?nter his store. He has been
prospered in his financial affairs, being numbered among the substantial busi-
ness men of Bloomington. and he owns a comfortable and attractive resi-
dence at No. 528 North \Yashington street, where the spirit of true hospital-
ity is ever in evidence.
Fraternally. Air. Alarxson is a meml:)er of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, while his religious membership is with the Christian church,
to which he gives his earnest support.
In 1898 Mr. Marxson was united in marriage with Alaggie Cathcart. the
daughter of Samuel and Jennie (Payne) Cathcart, and they are the parents
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 537
of three children, Ernest R., Robert C. and jNIary Frances. By a straight-
forward and commendable conrse Air. ]\Iarxson has made his way to a
respectable position in the business world, winning the admiration of the
people of his city and earning a reputation as an enterprising, progressive
man of affairs, and a broad-minded and public-spirited citizen who has not
been backward is gix'ing his support to every movement for the upbuilding
and development of the ci immunity. Personally, he is a most companionable
man and is an appreciated member of the various circles in which he moves
THOAIAS MILLIGAN.
The true measure of individual success is determined by what one has
accomplished. .\n enumeration of those men of a past generation who were
successful in their life work and at the same time left the impress of their
strong personalities upon the community, men who won honor and recogni-
tion for themselves, and at the same time conferred honor on the locality in
which they resided, would be incomplete were there failure to make specific
mention of the gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, for, although
Thomas Milligan has long been sleeping the sleep of the just, his influence still
pervades the lives of those who were so fortunate as to enjoy his acquaintance
and his name is deeply engraved on the pages of Lawrence county's history.
His life was a blisy one, but he never allowed anything to interfere with his
Christian obligations or the faithful performance of his church duties, so that
his entire Christian life was a steady effort for the worth of Christian doc-
trine, the purity and grandeur of Christian principles and the beautv and
elevation of Christian character. Pure, constant and noble was the spiritual
flame that burned in and illumined the mortal tenement of the subject of this
memoir, and to the superficial observer can come but small appreciation of
his intrinsic spirituality, his faith being fortified by the deepest study, and
the Christian verities were with him the matters of most concern among the
changes and chances of this mortal life.
Thomas Milligan was born near Dublin, Ireland, about the year 1769.
Early in life he came to America with his sister ^Martha and brotlier Gilbert,
making their first settlement in Buncombe county. North Carolina. Thomas
Milligan became an earnest and active Christian, ioining the IMethodist church,
in which he was ordained to the ministry. i\s a preacher he became a figure
of considerable prominence in the early church and exerted a tremendous
influence wherever he lal>ored. His activity and prominence are noted in the
538 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
annals of early Tennessee history and in the old records of the Methodist
conferences of that period, while he is also specifically mentioned in the rec-
ords of the general conference of his church wliich was held at Chillicothe,
Ohio, September 14, 1807, he having been one of the eleven delegates which
composed that notable body. He went to that meeting on horseback from
New River, Virginia, where he was at that time located. He had been admitted
to the itinerant ministry in 1798 and during the period from then until 1809
he successively served at Holston \'alley. Clinch Valley, Powell's Valley,
Carter's Valley, New River district and Wautauga.
On February 18, 1809, Thomas Milligan and Margaret Christian were
united in marriage and located near Long Island of the Holston river, where
Kingston, Tennessee, is now located. Margaret Christian was the daughter of
Colonel Gilbert Christian, who was a \eteran of the French and Indian and
Revolutionary wars. Subsequently Thomas Milligan and his family moved
from their home on the Holston ri\er to what was then known as Indiana
territorv, locating near Bono in 1815. where he entered a tract of land, upon
part of which now stands the town of Tunnelton, Lawrence county. In some
important respects his coming to Lawrence county was an event of vital
import to the community, for his coming marked the first establishment here
of a minister of the gospel as a permanent resident. Thus to Guthrie town-
ship belongs the distinction and honor of having entertained the first minister
in Lawrence county. Thomas Milligan held religious services at his home
and the homes of his friends, these being probably the first services of the kind
in the county. He was a man of great strength of character, of intense ear-
nestness and consecration to the service of God. and with a broad-hearted
svmpathv for his fellow men that impelled him to devote himself to the spir-
itual uplifting and the aid and encouragement of all with whom he came in
contact. He was widely known throughout this section of Indiana and
exerted a tremendous influence on the lives of the early settlers here.
To Thomas and Margaret Milligan were born six children, four sons
and two daughters, of whom the eldest, Caroline, became the wife of George
Roberts, a nephew of Bishop Roberts, of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The youngest child of the family, Elizalieth Jane, became the wife of Capt.
Isaac Newkirk. The latter, who was for man^ vears an honored and re-
spected resident of Lawrence county, was captain of Companv G, Fourth
Indiana Cavalr}', during the Rebellion and pertormed valuable service for
his county after bis return to civic [jursuits. His fellow citizens honored him
by electing him twice to the office of sheriff of Lawrence countv. Captain
Newkirk became owner of the Thomas Milligan tract of land and when the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 539
Ohio & Mississippi Railroad was built through this county he laid out and
named the town of Tunnelton. it having been located between two tunnels on
that roatl. To Capt. Isaac and Elizabeth Jane Newkirk were born two daugh-
ters, Mary E. and Louisa C. Mary E. became the wife of Isaac H. Crim
on October 25, 1866, and to this union were born two daughters, Carrie
and Lulu. The first named was married to Jesse ]M. Winstandley on lan-
uary 16, 1889, and Lulu became the wife of Charles E. Erancis on Decem-
ber 14, 1898. Louisa C. Newkirk was married on September 23. 1875.
to George R. Green, and they became the parents of a son, George R., ]r.
George R. Green. Sr., died on December 6. 1875, and the son. George R., Ir.,
passed away on July 28, 1895.
McHENRY OWEN.
This biographical sketch has to do with a character of unusual force and
eminence, for McHenry Owen has for a number of years been recognized as
one of the able and successful lawyers and prominent citizens of southern
Indiana. As a citizen he is public-spirited and enterprising; as a friend and
neighbor, he combines the qualities of head and heart that have won confi-
dence and commanded respect ; as an attorney, who has a comprehensive
grasp upon the philosophy of jurisprudence, he i'^ easily the peer of his pro-
fessional brethren at the Lawrence county bar, and as a servant of the people
in places of responsibility he served in a manner that won for him the com-
mendation of his superiors. Yet his entire accomplishment but represents
the result of the fit utilization of the innate talent which is his and the direct-
ing of his effort along those lines where mature judgment and rare discrim-
ination have led the way.
McHenry Owen was born near Clear Spring. Owen township, Jackson
county, Indiana, on the ist day of Jul}-, 185 1, and is the son of James \V. ana
Martha A. (Wells) Owen, lioth of whom were natives also of Owen town-
ship, Jackson county. James W. Owen, who was a farmer by vocation, was a
prominent citizen of hi.s county and acceptably filled the office of county
commissioner for two terms, and also rendered appreciated service as justice
of the peace. His death occurred on March 25. 1887, on his old homestead,
and he was survived a number of years by his widow, who died on May 10.
1913, at Brownstown, Jackson county, at the age of over eighty-eight years.
The father was an active member of the Masonic order, being a past master
540 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of Clear Spring Lodge. Politically, he was a lifelong Democrat. He was a
faithful and courageous defender of the liag, having served in the Mexican
war as a niemher of Company F, Second Regiment Indiana Infantry, and in
the Civil war he was first lieutenant of Company F, Sixty-seventh Regiment
Indiana A'olunteer Infantry. To him and his wife were born five children,
all of whom are living, namely : IMcHeniy, the immediate subject of this
sketch; Cass, who lives at Ridelin, South Dakota; Sarah, the wife of Marion
Johnson, of Clermont, Marion county, Indiana; Mettie, the widow of James
M. Henderson, of Brownstown, Indiana: Laura, the wife of William McKay
]\Iilligan, of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
]\IcHenry Owen attended the district and high schools at Clear Spring,
and then l>ecame a student in the State L^niversity. where he was graduated
on June 12, 1S77, having specialized in law. On August 21, of the same year,
he located at Brownstown, where he formed a professional partnership with
Judge Ralph Applewhite and was successfully engaged in the practice until
October 21, 1881. when he removed to Leesville, Lawrence county, Indiana,
where he remained until Septem]:ier 11, 1889. His life at Leesville was an
active one, for, l^esides practicing law, he farmed, acted as editor of the
Leesznlle Graphic and serxed as deputy postmaster. In October, 1886, Mr.
Owen entered the ser\ice of the government as special examiner in the pen-
sion department, his work l^eing mostly at Dayton, Toledo and other Ohio
points. He served efficiently in that capacity until June 30, 1889. and on the
nth of the following September he came to Bedford and resumed the prac-
tice of law. On November ist, of that year, he formed a partnership with
Judge Xewton Crook, which association was terminated in October, 1893,
when Mr. Owen again entered the service of the government in the same
capacity as formerly, being located at Dayton, Ohio, until April 30, 1897, at
which time he again returned to Bedford and has been continuously engaged
in the practice of his profession here since. Lie gives his attention to the
general practice, though specializing somewhat in commercial law and acting
as the local representative for a number of the leading commercial agencies.
For a while he was associated with John R. East, of Bloomington, but is now
alone in the practice. He is a busy man, for besides his professional duties,
which are manifold, he is the owner of considerable valuable farm land in
Lawrence county, which demands a share of h.is attention, while he has been
for a number of years a member of the board of directors of the Bedford
National Bank. ]\Ir. Owen has achieved an enviable reputation in the field
of effort to which he has devoted his energies, for from the beginning he was
intensely methodical and unswervingly persistent in search of the true lio-ht
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 541
and of the essentials of the legal foundations, and in sources of legal concep-
tion and thought, holding devoutly to the highly embellished record of equity,
Ihe invariable theorems of law, the sure, certain, invincible methods of prac-
tice; therefore success could not help croAvning his efforts and attracting to
him public recognition and appreciation. Personally, he is a man of genial
and kindly impulses and has won a host of warm and loyal friends in the
eommunity which has been honored by his citizenship.
Politically, Mr. Owen has positive convictions and has been an active
and influential supporter of the Democratic party. Fraternally, Mr. Owen
is a Mason of high degree, being secretary of the blue lodge, secretary of the
chapter of Royal Arch Masons, secretary of the council of Royal and Select
Masters, and recorder of the commandery of Knights Templar, while he is a
thirty-second-degree member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Valley
of Indianapolis, and of Murat Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at In-
dianapolis. In the Knights of Pythias he also takes a live interest, being a
member of the degree team of the Bedford lodge.
McHenry Owen was married, on October 8, 1879, to Ada E. Smith, the
daughter of Dr. William H. and Sally (Holland) Smith, of Leesville, where
her father was for many years widely known as a successful physician and
public-spirited citizen. He was born in Salem, Washington county, Indiana, on
September 5, 1830, and his death occurred at Bedford on October 30, 1911,
to which citv he had removed in 1893. He was educated in medicine at the
Louisville Medical College and the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New
York City, after which he was continuously engaged in the practice of his
profession at Leesville from 1853 until his removal to Bedford, where he
also practiced for some years. He was successful in material affairs, owning
considerable real estate and a store. He was numbered among the pioneer
doctors of Lawrence county and was one of the organizers of the Lawrence
County Medical Society. He was also vice-president of the Bedford National
Bank. To Mr. and Mrs. Owen were l^orn two children, namely: Anna May,
born on November 21, 1880, is the wife of Prof. Everett E. King, who is
professor of railway engineering at Iowa State College, .\nii's, Ir)\va ; Frank
Smith Owen, born March 29, 1883, is a successful civil engineer at Bedford.
Mr. Owen has always stood ready to identify himself with his fellow
citizens in any good work and extend a co-r.peratix e h:ind to advance any
measure that is calculated to advance the welfare of the community in any
way. His integritv and fidelity have been manifested in every relation of life
and he is eminentlv deserving of the marked popnlaritv which he enjoys.
542 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
R. A. AKIN, M. D.
The man who devotes his talents and energies to the noble work of
ministering to the ills and alleviating the sufferings of humanity is pursuing
a calling which in dignity, importance and beneficial results is second to none
other. If true to his profession and earnest in his efforts to enlarge his
sphere of usefulness, he is indeed a benefactor of his kind, for to him more
than to any other man are intrusted the safety, the comfort, and, in many
instances, the lives of those who place themselves under his care and profit
by his services. It is gratifying to note in the series of personal sketches
appearing in this work that there remain identified with the professional,
public and civic affairs of Monroe countv manv who are native sons of the
county and who are ably maintaining the prestige of honored names.
R. A. Akin was born at Bloomington, Indiana, on March 7, 1880, and is
the son of George W. and Laura (Ridge) Akin. The father, who was born
in Parke county, Indiana, was a carpenter and farmer and a man of good
character and high standing in his community. He and his wife both died
in Monroe county in 1910, the father ha\-ing been retired from active pursuits
for some time prior to his death. He was a Democrat in politics and, though
not active in public affairs, he took intelligent interest in the current events of
the day. He and his wife were the parents of two children, the subject of
this sketch and Ida E.
R. A. Akin received a good common school education and then entered
the State University, where he graduated in 1906. Having determined to
take up the practice of medicine for his life pursuit, he then matriculated
in the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he was graduated in
1908 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He immetliately entered upon
the active practice of his profession at Bedford, Imt a short time afterward
he removed to Gary, Indiana, where he remained until 1909, when lie came to
Bloomington and has since ccmtinued here in the active i)ract!ce of medicine
and surgery. His well efjuipped offices are located in the Allen block, and,
though one of the younger physicians of Bloomington, he is already in com-
mand of a goodly share of the local patronage. He is a general practitioner,
though he has achieved unusual success in surgery, having handled success-
fully a number of very important cases and liaving assisted Dr. Harris in
nearly all of the latter's important work. Dr. .Vkin possesses a pleasing per-
sonality, which has won for him many warm friends throughout the com-
munity and he is entirely deserving of the eminent standing he has secured,
both professionally and socially. He is a member of the Monroe County
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 543
Medical Society, of which he is secretary and treasurer, and also belongs to
the Indiana State Medical Society. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the
Democratic party, though his professional duties preclude his taking a very
important part in public affairs. Fraternally he belongs to Lodge No. 446,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in Bloomington^ and takes a keen
interest in the work of this fraternity.
REV. JOSEPH LAXNERT.
Lawrence county has l^een the home and the scene of lalior of many
men who have not only led lives whicli should ser\e as a lesson and an inspira-
tion to those who follow them onto the stage of life's acti\'ities, but who
have also been of important service through important avenues of usefulness
in various lines. The honored and higiily esteemed sul)ject of this sketch is
a man of well rounded character, sincere, devoted and loyal, so that there are
many salient p(Mnts which render consonant a tri!)ute to him in this compila-
tion. Standing as he does today the head of one of the most important
churches in Lawrence county, his laljors have long l)een directed for the
amelioration of the people of tliis community and rewarded with gratifying-
results.
Rev. Joseph Lannert, pastor of St. A'incent de Paul Catholic church at
Bedford, was born at Evansville, Indiana, on the gth of Februarx-, 1867, and is
the son of Joseph and Frances (Bossier) Lannert, the former a native of
Germany and the latter of Pen.nsyl\-ania. Josepli Lannert, Sr., who followed
the vocation of a i)ainter. lived the major part of his life at Evansville, where
his death occurred on January \(k 1876. fie was survived many years by
jMrs. Lannert, wliose death occurred on June 2. U)02. at Evansville. She
remained a widow thus more than a (|uarter of a century that her children
should not ha\e a stei)-father, as had lieen her experience. She was the
mother of five children, all Init uvx of whom are living, namely: Joseph, the
subject of this review; Raymond, who is manager of the Diamond Coal
Company, of Evansville, Indiana; Mary, the housekeeper of Father Lannert:
Mrs. Walter Buhrman, of New Castle, Indiana. Jose])h recei\e(l his ele-
mentary education in the parochial schools of Ewmsville, which lie attended
for seven years. During the following luster he was variously employed in
Evansville stores, but he had determined to devote his life to the ministry of
his church, and to that end, in September, 1885, he went to St. Minard's Col-
lege, in Spencer county, Indiana, where he studied for four years. In Septem-
544 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ber, 1889, he went to Mount St. Mary's, Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he
spent another period of four years. The following two years he attended the
seminary ai; Mount St. Mai-y's of the West, Cincinnati, where, on June 19,
1895, he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop William Henry Elder.
His lirst appointment was as assistant priest at St. Joseph's church, In-
dianapolis, where he remained five and a half years, following which, for four
and a half years, he was pastor of St. James' church, in Gibson county, In-
diana. On July 14. 1905, Father Lannert became pastor of the church at
Bedford, and has remained here continuously since. His labors here have
been fruitful in results and he has earned the commendation of his supe-
riors for his splendid administration of the church here. He has succeeded in
paying off the greater part of the church debt which existed when he came
here, and on September 8, 1908, he opened a parochial school on Eighteenth
street. Three years later he erected on I street the present school building
and residence, constructed of Bedford stone. The first day the building on
Eighteenth street was occupied for school purposes ninety-five pupils re-
sponded; now there are one hundred and sixty enrolled, with an average
daily attendance of one hundred and forty. These accomplishments meant
much hard work and a zeal and perseverance that only those who were closely
connected with the parish can clearly understand and appreciate. Besides
this, leather Lannert has Ijeen active in building up the spiritual welfare of
the congregation, which is now in excellent condition. Father Lannerfs
work here has met with the united approval of Ins own people and others as
well. The gcjod he has accomplished does not stand alone in the material
and \isil)le results, which are apparent to the eye, but they are deeply en-
graven on the hearts of the peojile of the community, among whom he is held
in the most reverential regard.
TOHN S. BAILEY
The venerable gentleman whose career is briefly sketched in the fol-
lowing lines is one of the older residents of Bedford and his life has been
such as to gain the confidence and good will of the people of his community
and to make him well and fa\-orably known throughout the county of which
he has so long been an honored citizen. In the highest sense of the term he
is a self-made man and as such has met with success in material things such
as few attain and made a record which may be studied with profit by the
young men of the rising generation.
JOHN S. BAILEY
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 545
John S. Bailey was born on September lo, 183 1, on his father's farm
six miles north of Bedford, Indiana, and has therefore been a participant in
and an eye witness of the wonderful development which has characterized this
section of the state during the last few decades. He is the son of Levi and
Catherine (Holman) Bailey, the father a native of Indiana and the mother
of Woodford county, Kentucky. The subject's paternal grandfather, Charles
Bailey, was a native of Hagerstown, Pennsylvania. In boyhood he was
bound out. but ran away and came to Louisville. At this time there were
only seven houses there. He was a great hunter and woodsman and in order
to find available locations he settled on Lost River, in Orange county. Indiana,
where he remained several years. Later he located six miles nortl: of Bed-
ford, where he took up government land and lived until 1847. when he
moved to Sullivan county, this state. He married a Miss Smith, a native of
Kentucky, who died in Sullivan county, and eventually he went to Linn
county, Iowa, where his death occurred. He was the father of the following
children : John, Levi ; Gideon, who was a doctor, and after he moved to
Iowa was appointed a marshal ; Harrison. Joseph. Lena, Rebecca, Sallie and
Ann. Levi Bailey had few opportunities for securing an education and his
early years were devoted to agricultural pursuits and stock raising. These
lines of effort developed a large business and he eventually became noted as
a shipper, having sent twenty-one boat loads of pork and wheat on flat boats
to New Orleans. He built his own boats and was successful in all his under-
takings, at one time owning fourteen hundred acres of land six miles north of
Bedford. He was a Democrat in politics and was well known throughout the
community where he lived. His death occurred in 1854 and his wife died in
1844.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his
home neighborhood, remaining under the parental roof until he had attained
his majority. He lived on the home farm north of Bedford until about the
time of the breaking out of the Civil war, when he went to Sullivan county,
Indiana, where he remained until about a year after the war closed. He then
bought ninety acres of land located two and one-half miles east of Bedford,
where he remained two years and then _^traded that for a farm in Guthrie
township. He was very successful in his farming operations, acquiring sev-
eral other farms located at different places in the county and he devoted his
attention to agricultural pursuits until 191 2. when he retired from active
business life and moved to Bedford, w^here he now resides. Persistent in-
dustrv and sound business methods characterized his career and in all his
(35)
546 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
relations with his fellow men his dealings were marked by the strictest integ-
rity and fairness, so that at all times he enjoyed the confidence of all who
were associated with him in any way.
On July 9, 1862, Mr. Bailey enlisted at Madison, Indiana, in Company A.
Sixty-seventh Regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he took
part in the battles of Munfordville, Kentucky: Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi;
Arkansas Post, Arkansas; Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion's
Hill, Big Black River Bridge, siege and capture of Vicksburg, and Jackson,
Mississippi ; Apelousas and Grand Coteau, Louisiana ; Matagorda Bay, Texas ;
Grand Ecore, Saline Cross Roads, Moresfield, Cane River Crossing, Cane
River, Alexandria, Hunt's Plantation. Dunn's Bayou, Bayou DeLamora,
Avayletes Prairie, Yellow Bayou, Old River and Anhapologa Bayou. Louis-
iana; Ft. Gaines, Fort Morgan, Pollard and Ft. Blakely, Alabama. He was
honorably discharged in August, 1865. He is now- a member of the Grand
Army Post No. 247, at Bedford.
Mr. Bailey has been married three times, first in the spring of 1852 to
Mary Ramsey, of Bedford, Indiana, who died in 1862. In August, 1866, he
married Margaret Malotte, of Bedford, Indiana, whose death occurred in
February, 1906. and on November 19, 1908, he married Mai-y E. Scott, the
widow of Reuben B. Scott, of Bedford, a farmer whose death had occurred
in 1906. Mr. Scott was a prominent man in his community and had served
as representative in the Legislature from Lawrence county. Mrs. Bailey is
the daughter of Tohn W. Miller, who married Susan J. Udderback, both of
whom were natives of Kentucky, who came to Lawrence county and settled
four and a quarter miles northeast of Bedford, where he conducted fanning
operations and also worked at his trade as a cal)iijet-maker. He died on Feb-
ruary 3, 1857, and his wife died on July 16. 1881. They were members of
the Christian church and were the parents of two children: Elijah H.. who
died in 1896, was a farmer, and Mary E., the wife of the subject. To Mr.
Bailey's first union were liorn two children, Oscar, who is a carpenter and
farmer at Woodmond, Oklahoma, and Austin, a carpenter who died in 1887.
To the subject's second union were born the following children : Frank, a
member of the hardware firm of Bailey & Pittman, of Bedford. He married
Hester Dodd. and they have two children. Roy and Mary ; Homer, who was a
soldier in the Spanish-American war, died of typhoid fever during that war;
Fred C, in the transfer business at Bedford, married Mabel Julian, and they
b.ave two children, Joy and Job.n S. : Lillian is the wife of Fay Hamilton, of
Greencastle. Indiana, and they have five children, Glen, Gene, Louisa. Lowell
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 547
and Francis; Emma C. is the wife of Wesley Ramsey, of Seattle. Washing-
ton, and they have four children, Ivan, Irene. Mary and John ; Lee, a shoe
and clothing merchant at Bedford, married Grace Owen; Robert M., who is a
druggist at Martinsville, Indiana, married Mabel Dill, and they have one
child, Margaret A.
Fraternally, Mr. Bailey is a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows at Bedford, while his religious connections are with the Christian
church, of which he is a faithful and earnest member. He enjovs a wide and
favorable acquaintance throughout the county and everywhere he is held in
high esteem by those who know him.
ROBERT NEWLAND PALMER.
In placing the name of Robert N. Palmer Ix'fore the reader as one
standing in the front rank of the enterprising men of affairs and a leader of
the bar at Bedford, Indiana, whose influence has tended to the upbuilding of
the city of his residence and the advancement of the affairs of his native
county of Lawrence, simple justice is done a biographical fact, recognized
throughout the community by those at all familiar with his history and
cognizant of the important part he has acted in the circles with which he has
been identified. His career presents a notable example of those qualities of
mind and character which overcome obstacles and win success, and his ex-
ample is eminently worthy of imitation.
Robert N. Palmer first saw the light of day on November ii. 1848, on
the paternal homestead, about four miles east of Bedford. Indiana. His par-
ents were James W. and Laura (Newland) Palmer, the former born in
Farquier county, Virginia, on March 18, 1826, and the latter a native of
Lawrence county, Indiana. The subject's paternal grandparents. Joseph and
Elizabeth (Fuller) Palmer, came from the Old Dominion state in an early
day and settled on a farm about seven miles northeast of Bedford, in Pleas-
ant Run township, and there they spent the remainder of their lives, dying
there at the respective ages of eighty-two and ninety-four years. James W.
Palmer engaged in the mercantile business in Bedford in 1852 and for forty
years he was numbered among the enterprising and successful merchants of
this locality, being engaged actively in business almost up to the time of his
death. To James and Laura Palmer were born two children, the subject of
this sketch and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Laura Palmer died on Sep-
548 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
tember 15, 1853, ^""^ '" 1857 Mr. Palmer married Jennie Johnston, to which
union were born five children, namely: Isaiah J., better known as Sida, of
Bedford; James W., of Indianapolis; Edward (Jack), who is assistant book-
keeper for the Bedford Electric Company ; Mary, wife of Charles H. Strupe,
of Bedford, and Goldie Ann Palmer, who remains at home.
Robert N. Palmer was reared on the home farm and secured his ele-
mentary education in the public schools of Bedford, completing his general
educational training in Indiana University. For a year or two he was em-
ployed at ordinary work of various kinds, and then entered the law office of
Judge Francis Wilson, devoting the ensuing five years to the study of law,
at the end of which time he was admitted to the bar of Lawrence county, and
has been engaged in the practice of his profession continuously since. His
success was assured from the start, for he early evinced those qualities which
make for success in any line of effort — earnestness of purpose, persistent in-
dustry, undivided attention and inflexible integrity. During his professional
career Mr. Palmer has achieved an enviable reputation in the branch of crimi-
nal law especially, having been prominently connected with many of the most
important criminal cases tried in the local court, among which were the Towe
and Beasley, Tomlison and Gaines, Shaffer, Deckard and Ira Cobb murder
cases. He is counsel for the Stone City Bank and since 1893 has been counsel
for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company. As a lawyer he is well in-
formed in his profession and faithful to his clients and the law. He is an
honest and fair practitioner, and the record of testimony is ample that he is
a good citizen in the full sense of the term, worthy of all honor and public
trust.
On November 6, 1879. Robert N. Palmer was married to Louisa La-
Force, the daughter of David R. LaForce, an old resident and prominent
business man of Bedford. To this union was born one child, Craigie M.
Palmer, who is at home. Mrs. Palmer died on March 4, 1887.
In political affairs, Mr. Palmer has for manv vears been a prominent
figure. He has assumed an independent attitude, though nominally a Demo-
crat, and in 1896 he supported the gold standard wing of the party, being a
delegate to the national convention of the Gold Democrats and a presidential
elector from the second congressional district. Recently he has been identi-
fied with the Progressive movement. Though never a candidate for public
office, he served seven and a half years as a member of the Bedford school
board, where he rendered efficient service in the interest of educational affairs.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order. Mr. Palmer, in his life
career, has honored the two family names which he bears, both of which have
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 549
been prominent in the annals of the county. His maternal grandfather, Will-
iam Newlands, was a prominent man in the early history of this section.
With others, he established the Christian church in Lawrence county and
helped to build the first church, known as Leatherwood church, in 1836. He
died in 1854. Personally, Mr. Palmer is of a genial nature and a very agree-
able companion, enjoying a large circle of warm and loyal friends, and it is
safe to sav that no man in the community enjoys to a greater measure the
confidence and regard of the people than he.
F. B. VAN\^\LZAH.
It is generally considered by those in the habit of superficial thinking
that the history of so-called great men only is worthy of preservation, and
that little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praises of the his-
torian or the cheers and the appreciation of mankind. A greater mistake was
never made. No man is great in all things. Man-\' l)y a luckv stroke achieve
lasting fame who before that had no reputation beyond the limits of their
immediate neighl^orhoods. It is not a history of •■ht lucky stroke which benefits
humanity most, but the li^ig study and effort which made the lucky stroke
possible. It is the preliminary work, the method, that serves as a guide for
the success of others. Among those in Monroe county who have achieved
success along stead)' lines of action is the sul)ject of this sketch.
F. B. VanValzah, one of the leading merchants and enterprising citi-
zens of Bloomington, Indiana, was born in Pennsylvania on July 22, 1852,
and is the son of John A. and Sara B. ( Barljer ) \'an\'alzah, tlie former hav-
ing been a farmer and miller, and died in his old home in the Keystone state.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools near
his home and in an academy at Lewistown, Pennsylvania. l^i>on taking up
the active duties of life on his own account, he engaged as clerk in a store for
three years, and then on account of his health he went t(^ Colorado, where he
engaged in the cattle business. After remaining in the West aliout six and
one-half vears, and in a measure recovering his health, he went to Kansas,
where in Sedgwick county he engaged in farming for about six and one-half
years, and in 1888 came to Indiana, locating in Monroe county, where he
operated a farm for nine years with a gratifying degree of success. At the
end of that period he moved to Bloomington, where he made his permanent
residence, and for a year was engaged as a traveling salesman for the Osborne
550 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Harvester Company. He then accepted a clerkship in the hardware store of
W. J. Allen, with whom he remained a clerk for six years, at the end of which
time he bought his employer's interest in the business and has been engaged
in the hardware trade for tlie last eight years, four years of which time he
had a partner, but is now alone. Splendidly qualified in every respect for a
business career, Mr. \^an\^alzah has been very successful in all that he has
undertaken and is numbered today among the leading business men of his
community. He is not narrow or selfish in his aims in life, for he has due
regard at all times for the general interests of tlie community and his duties
as a citizen, and every movement having for its object the advancement of
the general welfare of the people receives his hearty indorsement and sup-
port. Politicallv, Mr. VanV'alzah is a stanch Progressive, while his fraternal
relations are with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the
Knights of Pythias. Religiously, he is a member and regular attendant of
the Presbyterian church.
In 1883 Mr. VanValzah married Emma J- Wolf, and to tliem liave been
born four children, Sara, Bessie, Samuel and Harold, all of whom are at
home except Harold. Mr. VanValzah's life work has been one of unceasing
industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods he has
ever followed have resulted not only in gaining the confidence of those with
whom he has had dealings, but also in the building up of a good business.
In everv avenue of life's activities he has been faithftil to his duties and,
because of his gootl character and splendid success, he has merited and re-
tains the respect and gootl will of all who know him.
jOHX T. FREELAXD,-M. D.
It is not always easy to disco\er and define the hidden forces that have
moved a life of ceaseless actixity and large professional success; little more
can be done than to note their manifestation in the career of the individual
under consideration. In view of this fact, the life of the physician and pub-
lic-spirited man of aft'airs whose name appears above affords a striking example
of well defined jjurpose, with the ability to make that purpose subserve not
onl\- his own ends but the good of his fellovv" men as well. Doctor Freeland
has long held prestige in a calling which re(|uires for its basis sound mentality
anil intellectual discipline of a high order, supplemented by the rigid pro-
fessional training and thorough mastery of technical knowledge with the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 55I
skill to apply the same, without which one cannot hope to rise above medioc-
rity in ministering to human ills. In his chosen field of endeavor Doctor Free-
land has achieved a notable success, which has been duly recognized and ap-
preciated throughout the section of the state in which he lives. In addition
to his long and creditable career in one of the most useful and exacting of
professions, he has proved an honorable memljcr of the l)0(ly politic and in
every relation of life he has never fallen below the dignity of true manhood
nor in any way resorted to methods that have invited censure.
John T. Freeland, M. D., of Bedford, Indiana, was born near Freelands-
ville, Knox county, Indiana, on June 7, i860, and is the son of Dr. John T.
and Lydia (Ford) Freeland. The subject's paternal grandfather, Benjamin
Freeland, was a native of ^Maryland, who, in an early day, came to Indiana
and settled in Monroe county, where his death occurred. John T. Freeland,
Sr., who also was born in Alaryland, was brought to Indiana by his parents in
childhood. After attending the pulilic schools be became a student at the
State Universitv, of which he was one of the earliest graduates. He then
matriculated in the L(niis\ille Medical College and afterward practiced his
profession in Ktnox county up to the time of his death. He married Lydia
Ford, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and whose death occurred in 186S. To these
parents were ])orn three children, those besides the subject of this sketch
being Robert, deceased, and Mrs. C. B. Robbins, of Knox county, Indiana.
Dr. lohn T. I-'reeland, Jr., attended the pul^lic schools and completed his
literarv education in the L'niversity of Michigan. Having determined to
adopt the practice of medicine for his life w(jrk, he then entered the Ken-
tucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, where he was graduated in 1886,
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then attended the New York
Polyclinic, graduating in 1888, after which he was interne and later house
surgeon in the New \'ork Hc^spital for Rupturetl and Crippled. Coming
then to Bedford, Indiana, he has since been engaged in the general practice of
medicine and surgery here with splendid success, acquiring a high reputation
throughout this section of the state because of ability. He is chief surgeon
for the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern Railroad Company, which
position he has held since John R. Walsh ac(|Mired the road. He is also
surgeon for the Indiana Quarries Company and other industrial concerns.
He is a member of the Lawrence County Medical Society, the Indiana State
INiedical Society and the American Medical Association. In the civic life of
the community he has. though a busy man professionally, taken a commend-
able interest and has given his earnest support to all movements which have
promised to benefit the locality in any way.
552 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
In October, 1888, Doctor Freeland was married to Caroline Pearson, of
Bedford, and they are the parents of two children, Mrs. Ruth McCloud, who
lives in Canada, and l'>anccs, who is at home with her parents. Fraternally,
Doctor Freeland is a member of the Masonic order, in the workings of which
he takes an intelligent interest. He is in the higliest sense a man among men
and because of his genial disposition and sjjlendi'l character he enjoys a well-
deserved popularity in the conimunit}- which is houord by his citizenship.
ALFRED GUTHRIE.
Among the successful self-made men of a past generation in Lawrence
county whose efforts and influence contributed to the material upbuilding of
the community, the late Alfred Guthrie occupied a conspicuous place. Being
ambitious irnm the first, but surrounded with "one tr)o fa\-orable environ-
ment, his early }()uth was not especially promising but. resolutelv facing" the
future, he gradually surmounted the difiiculties in his way and in due course
of time rose to a prominent position in the commercial, agricultural antl finan-
cial circles of his comnnmity, besides winning the confidence and esteem of
those with whom he came in contact, either in a business or a social way, and
for years he stood as one of the representative citizens of the localitv hon-
ored by his citizenship. Strongly in contrast with the humble surroundings
of his youth was the brilliant position which he eventually filled in business
circles. He realized early that there is a purpose in life and that there is no
honor not founded on worth and no respect not founded on accomplishment.
His life and labors were worthy because they contributed to a proper under-
standing of life and its problems. The strongest characters in our national
history have come from the ranks of self-made men to whom adversity acts
as an impetus for unfaltering effort, and from this class came the lamented
gentleman whose name initiates this memorial.
Alfred Guthrie was born in Guthrie township, Lawrence countv. Indiana,
on June 25, rSj8. and liis death occurred at 'us home in Tunnelton, this
county, on June 7, 1913, at the advanced age of nearly eighty-five years. He
was the eldest of the eight children liorn to Daniel and Lucy ( Weddell)
Guthrie. His father, who was a native of Lee county, Virginia, was brought
by his parents to Lawrence county. Indiana, in 181 1, at the age of four years,
though prior to their coming here they had for two years resided in the state
of Kentucky. The father secured a large tract of land in Guthrie township,
Lawrence county, and there Daniel was reared and spent his life. He be-
ALFRED GUTHRIE
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 553
came a gunsmith by trade, not only making firearms, but also gunpowder
and saltpeter. Ph3^sically. he was a i)o\verful man, was widely known
throughout this section of the country and was well liked generally. By his
union with Lucy Weddell. he became the father of the following children:
Alfred, the immediate subject of this memoir; Mitchell, who liyed at Tunnel-
ton, was a farmer and stock man ; he was twice married, first to a Miss Wal-
ters and then to Judith Huljliard ; John 1)., who was a farmer and liyed first
at Tunnelton and then at Meringo, Iowa, married Patsy Walters ; Hester Ann
became the wife of Elisha I.ee, of Guthrie townshij), this county; U. D., who
was a farmer and stock man in Guthrie township, married first Mahina
Mundell and then a Miss Brooking; Marshall, deceased, who was a farmer
and stock man and was engaged in business with the subject of this sketch,
married first Susie Cooper and then Maggie Paine, who now liyes in Bed-
ford ; Miliscent became the \vife of A. J. Lee, who was a yeteran of the Ciyil
war, and subsequently engaged in farming and merchandising; Eli and Eri
were twins ; the former died at Duckport, Louisiana, during the Ciyil war
while in the seryice of his country, while Eri, who also seryed in the army
during that war, now liyes in Kansas ; he has been twice married, his first
wife having been Elizabeth Moody.
Alfred Guthrie was reared on the home farm and received only a meager
education in the common schools. However, he was an an.ibiti(^us student
and by his private efforts gained a good practical education, so that he was
qualified to teach school. Most of his time was occupied by the hardest kind
of labor, clearing timber from the land and putting it into cultivation, which,
under the primitive conditions of those early days, was no easy task. How-
ever, the lessons of industry, patience and persistency which he inbibed in
those early days were the secrets of his later success and in the free outdoor
life he gained a ruggedness of physique which enabled him to maintain a con-
tinuous activity of a long business life. By dint of the most persistent in-
dustry and wise economy Mr. Guthrie w^as enabled to open a general store at
Tunnelton and then begun what was destined to be one of the most remark-
able business careers in this locality. Eor more than a half century he con-
ducted the store at Tunnelton and conimanded the major portion of the trade
in his line over a wide radius of surrounding country, his Inisiness for years
amounting to eighty to a hundred thousand dollars annually. As he was
prospered, Mr. Guthrie wisely invested his profits in real estate and at one
time owned about three thousand acres of excellent farming land, all of which
he kept well stocked and carefully cultivated. About four years before his
death he gave to each of his seven children a farm of two hundred or more
554 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
acres. He was during all these years the most prominent citizen of Tunnel-
ton, in the growth and development of which he was deeply interested. He
was the second man to erect a house in that town and out of his own means
he built the first railroad depot in the town, these being but instances of the
many efforts initiated by him for the upbuilding of the town and the welfare
of the people. Air. Guthrie was also a large stockholder in the Stone City
Bank, of Bedford, and for many years was president of that institution:
later, however, on account of advancing years and declining health, he de-
clined further election to the jiresidency, though retaining to the end a posi-
tion on the board of directors. A man of ripe experience and sound judg-
ment, his advice was held in\-alual)le liv his Imsiness associates. A man of
great business capacity and of the highest principles of integrity and honor,
he made his influence felt along diverse lines and was long a leader among
those men who conserved the general welfare of the community and county.
His integrity was of the most insistent and unsv,er\ing type and no shadow
rests upon any portion of his career as an active business man and sterling
citizen. He was especially distinguished for his honestv, firmness of charac-
ter, piety and intelligence. And he was one of the most unostentatious of
men, open-hearted and candid in manner, alwavs retaining in his demeanor
the simplicity and candor of the old-time gentleman, and, though his labors
are ended, his record stands as an entliiring monr.ment.
In public affairs Alfred Guthrie always took an intelligent interest and
held several public offices to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He
was twice a memlier of the lioard of county commissioners and in 1876 was
elected a mcmlier of the lower house of the state Legislature, where he ac-
quitted hiiiT^elf with credit. Religiously, he was a mem])er of the Congrega-
tional church, in the prosperity of which he ever maintained the warmest
interest, gixing liherall}- to its support and contributing in every way possible
to its welfare. He gave lilx-rally to all worthy charitable and bene\-olent
causes, though always without ostentation, manv of his kindlv acts being
unknown exce])t to the I)eneficiaries or his immediate famih".
At the time of his death the following beautiful tribute to Mr. Guthrie
appeared in the Bedford Mail : "He was a power for good in his neighbor-
hood and his county as well. He was foremost in whatever was best and by
word and example took the lead in furthering everything that would tend to
advance his town, his county, state and country. The world is better be-
cause of him. He has left to his children a rich inheritance, the name, 'an
honest man.' He was a good neighbor, a kind and affectionate husband and
father, a generous, whole-souled friend and, all in all, we shall not soon
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 555
again see his like. He will be sadly missed In' the comniunity and most of
all by those with whom in life he was daily associated. If men are judged by
the deeds done in the body, if the acts and conduct of life are reviewed in the
great hereafter, and the judgment is to be prcmounced thereon, then surely,
Alfred Guthrie shall nut fall 'short of the glory,' but will enter into the life
everlasting and be forever at rest.
Alfred Guthrie was twice married, first, on September 6, 1849, to Isa-
belle A. Hubbard, of Lawrence county, Indiana, the daughter of Austin and
Isabelle (Dewey) Hubbard. She was one of thirteen children born to her
parents, of whom twelve grew to maturity and three are now living, namely:
Harriet, of Oklahoma; Eliza, of Lawrence county, Indiana, and \\'illiam. of
Guthrie township, this county. To Alfred and Isabelle Guthrie were born
eight children, namely: (i) ]\Ielvin T., of Tunnelton, a successful farmer
and stock raiser. He is a Republican in politics and was census enumerator
in 1890. On January 28, 1875, he married Jennie Paine, of Kokomo, In-
diana, and they had eight children, of whom six are living, namely : Flor-
ence. Ernest M., Ralph, Roy, Opal, Alfred B.. deceased, Orin R. and an in-
fant. (2) Melvina is the widow of J. H. Malott, of Indianapolis, and their
children are Claude, an attorney at Bloomington ; Noble, a merchant: Ray, an
attorney, and Frank, who is deceased. (3) Lillie married, first. John P.
Davis, and then Dr. Frank Collyer, of Louisville, Kentucky. (4) Carrie, the
wife of L. A. Crim. of Indianapolis. (5) Ella is the wife of J. D. Moore-
head, a farmer at Tunnelton, and they have one child, Ruth. (6) Alfred H.,
of Nashville, Tennessee, has been married twice, first to Eva Parrett. by
whom was born one child, lulwin 1\. and secoridly to .\lvira (Aliller) Sal-
yard. Mrs. Isabelle Hubbard Guthrie died on June 10. 1890, and on .\pril i.
1S93. Mr. Guthrie married Isabel Isenhower, of Owensburg, Indiana, a
daughter of George A. and Elizabeth (Caffy) Isenhower. These parents,
who were natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Illinois, lived in Jack-
son township, Greene county, Indiana, where Mr. Isenhower successfully
carried on farming operations. He died in 1894 and his wife passed away in
1862. By his second marriage Mr. Guthrie became the father of a son.
Blaine A., born April 9, 1898, who remains at home with his mother. Mrs.
Guthrie is a lady of splendid qualities and is honored and respected by all
who know her, because of her gracious personality and kindly relations with
those about her.
556 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
LOUIS W. HUGHES.
It is interesting- to note from tlie beginning the growth and development
of a community, to note the Hnes along which progress has been made and
to take cognizance of those whose industry and leadership in the work of ad-
vancement have rendered possible the present prosperity of the locality under
consideration. L. W. Hughes, of this review, is one of the strong, sturdy
individuals who has contributed largely to the material welfare of the city
in which he resides, being an up-to-date l>usine^s man. public spirited as a
citizen, and progressive in all the term implies.
L. W. Hughes was born at Bloomington, Indiana, on May 13, 1856, and
is the son of David and Mary C. (Gibler) Hughes. The father, who was
born here in 1845, ^"^'^^ ^ farmer early in his life, but later ran a transfer line
and eventually, in 1890, entered the lumber business under the name of
Hughes Brothers. Prior to this time the business had been conducted under
the name of W. B. Hughes, the business having been established in 1880.
Mr. Hughes died in 1899. His son, the subject of this sketch, received his
education in the common schools of Bloomington, Ijeing a graduate of the
high school, and lie then entered the State University, where he graduated
with the class of 1898. With the object in view of following the dental pro-
fession, he then attended the Central Dental College at Indianapolis, where
he graduated in 1901. and during the following six years he was engaged in
the active practice of his profession at Bloomington. However, in 1907, he
entered into the luni])er business with his father and became the manager of
the Hughes Brothers Lumlier Conipan}-, one of the most important and suc-
cessful enterprises of the kind in the city of Bloomington. Thev carrv a full
line of all kinds of lumlier, together with building materials, such as plaster,
paint and light hardware, and also carry a full line of coal, lime and cement.
The iirm has a splen<li(l reputation for s(|uare dealing and evident anxietv to
please their customers and it is now considered the leading enterprise of the
kind in this section of the country.
In 1900 Mr. Hughes was married to Maud Orr, the daughter of A. A.
Orr, of Bloomington, and whose death occurred in 1890. To Mr. and Mrs.
Hughes has been born one child, Lucile O. Politically, the subject of this
sketch is a stanch Republican, while his religious membership is with the
Church of Christ. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order and has
attained to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and is also a member
of Murat Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis. Mr. Hughes
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 557
is well and favorably known in Monroe county, having long been regarded
as a man of sound business principles, upright in all his dealings and con-
genial in his relations with his acquaintances, and he has a host of friends,
and, because of his eminent business success and his high character, he is
eminently entitled to representation among the enterprising and progressive
citizens of his community.
FRANK W. LAMKINS.
It is proper to judge of the success of a man's life by the estimation in
which he is held by his fellow citizens. They see him at his work, in his
family circle, in church, hear his views on public questions, observe the opera-
tion of his code of morals, witness how he conducts himself in all the rela-
tions of society and civilization, and are therefore competent to judge of his
merits and his demerits. After a long course of years of such daily observa-
tion, it would be out of the question for his neighbors not to know of his
worth, for, as has been said, "actions speak louder than words." In this
connection it is not too much to say that the subject of this sketch has passed
a life of unusual honor, that he has been industrir-us and has the confidence of
all who have the pleasure of his friendship.
Frank W. Lamkins, who. as recorder of Monroe county, has earned a
high place in the regard of his fellow citizens, is a native of the county in
which he now lives and was born on July 4, 1869. He is the son of Andrew
and Mary E. (Shields) Lamkins, the former of whom also was a native of
Monroe county, while his paternal grandfather, James Lamkins, was one of
the county's earliest settlers and pioneer citizens. The subject's father, who
followed the vocation of farming, was prominent in the public life of the
community and for several years served his county in public capacity. He
was recorder of the county in i8g8, was trustee of Salt Creek township for
two terms and served a like period as assessor. His death occurred in De-
cember, 1910. His widow is still living and resides at No. 503 East Third
street, Bloomington. They were the parents of two children : Belle, who is at
home with her mother, and Frank W., the immediate subject of this sketch.
The latter received his elementary education in the common schools and later
was a student in the Danville Normal School, where he prepared himself
for teaching. During the following five years, he was successfully engaged
in pedagogical labors and later took up farming. Eventually he engaged in
the operation of a brick and tile factory, also farming, in Salt Creek town-
558 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ship, in the operation of which he was successful, and which he continued up
to the time of his appointment as county recorder. Mr. Lamkins was serving
as deputy county recorder when, in 1907, the recorder died and he was ap-
pointed to fill the unexpired term. His performance of his official duties was
so satisfactory that at the next election he was elected to the office, being
one of two Democratic candidates for county office elected that year.
In 1898 Mr. Lamkins was married to Mattie Dodds, the daughter of
Clelland F. and Mary E. (Orchard) Dodds, and to this union have been
born four children, Clelland A., Ruth M., Nellie C. and Charles R.
Politically, Mr. Lamkins gives earnest support to the Democratic party,
in whose councils he has been a prominent and influential figure, while, fra-
ternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Lamkins
resides in a comfortable and attractive home at No. 514 West Sixth street,
and is held in high regard by his neighbors and friends. His life has been
controlled by proper moti\-es and he has been indefatigable in his honest
efforts and business pursuits and in his official capacity he is coming up to
the full requirements of his office, wliile his personal relations are such as to
command at all times the esteem of those who know him.
J. W. BLAIR.
Among the younger members of the bar of Monroe county, Indiana,
who has, through his ability and industry, attained to a prominent place
among his fellow attorneys, is the gentleman whose name appears at the
head of this paragraph. He was liorn in Bloomington, Indiana, on October
15, 1884, and is the son of W. T. and Julia A. (\^^a]dron) Blair. W. T. Blair
was born in Bloomington on May i, 1866, the son of John and Hannah
(Fullerton) Blair, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of Ire-
land. John Blair, who was a farmer by vocation, came to Monroe county in
an earlv day and settled in Bloomington, where he was actively engaged in
agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1900. W. T. received
his education in the pul^lic schools and in the university, where he graduated
in 1880. He then became employed as a clerk in the W. J. Allen hardware
store, but three years later engaged in the shoe business on his ow-n account,
in which he was successful, carrying on the business for five years. At the
end of that period he was nominated by the Republicans for the office of
countv auditor, and, being elected, served as such with efficiency and satis-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 559
faction fuur years. Upon leaving his public position Mr. Blair engaged in the
stone business, becoming interested in the Central Oolitic Stone Company,
with which he was connected from 1893 until 1906. He then organized the
Bloomington Cut Stone Company, but sold his interest in that company and
is now engaged in handling real estate in stone lands and other propositions,
and also contracts to build houses, furnishing the stone. In all the various
avenues of activity in which he has engaged he has met with splendid suc-
cess and is numbered among Monroe county's substantial and enterprising
citizens.
Politically a Republican, Mr. Blair has served actively in the ranks of his
party and has been honored by public position, in which his ability has been
demonstrated in an unmistakable manner. He served as a member of the
county council and on the Bloomington city school board, as well as council-
man at large for the city of Bloomington. He is a member of the Phi Kappa
Psi college fraternity, and, religiously, is a member of the United Presby-
terian church.
In 1882 INIr. Blair was united in marriage with Julia A. \\\ildron, the
daughter of John and Anna Waldron. The father, who was a tanner bv
trade, came to Monroe county in 1856 and bought David Judy's tannery, the
operation of which he continued imtil his death. To W. T. Blair and wife
have been born three children : William, at home, who married ^lallie Jordan ;
James W., the immediate subject of this sketch, and ^.lary L., at home.
W. T. Blair, who is a man of splendid personal character and high attain-
ment, has so lived in this community as to win the warm regard of all who
know him. He has been an important factor in the development of the stone
industry here and in many ways has evinced a live interest in the welfare of
the community.
J. W. Blair received a good, practical common school education, sup-
plementing this by attendance at the State University, where he was gradu-
ated in 1909 with a degree in law, having received his degree in literature in
1908. Upon completing his studies he embarked in the stone business, but a
short time later he entered the office of Duncan & Batman, where for one and
one-half years he steadily pursued the study of law, at the end of which
time he became a junior member of the legal firm of Batman. Miller & Blair,
the co-partnership having been established on February 18. 191 1. Mr. Blair
has evinced ability of a high order as a lawyer and has been associated as
counsel in a number of the most important cases tried at the local bar since
he began his professional work. He has a due regard for the ethics of his
profession and because of his fine personal qualities, ability and his industri-
560 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ous habits, lie has earned the warm rei^ard of all who have ])een associated
with him.
Politically, Mr. Blair is a stanch Republican and takes an intelligent
interest in current public issues. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights
of Columbus, while, socially, he belongs to the college fraternities of Phi
Kappa Psi and Phi Delta Phi. Possessing a strong social nature, Mr. Blair
is genial and companionable and has won a host of warm personal friends
throughout this community.
ALBERT J. FIELDS.
There are individuals in nearly every community who, by reason of
pronounced ability and force of character, rise above the heads of the masses
and command the unbounded esteem of their fellow men. Characterized by
perseverance and a directing spirit, two virtues that never fail, such men al-
ways make their presence felt and the vigor of their strong personalities
serves as a stimulus and incentive to the voung and rising generation: To this
energetic and enterprising class the subject of ihis sketch very properly be-
longs. Having never been seized with the wanderlust spirit that has led many
of Lawrence county's young men to other fields of endeavor and other states,
Mr. Fields has devoted himself to his adopted profession and to the public
duties to which he has been called, and, because of his personal worth and
his accomplishments, he is clearly entitled to representation among the en-
terprising and progressive men of his locality.
Albert J- Fields is the scion of a long line of sterling ancestry. His
paternal great-great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah Fields, who was a native of
England, came to America in 1765, locating in Virginia or North Carolina. He
sided with the colonists in their contentions w-ith the mother country and was
a soldier in the war of the Revolution. His son, Robert Fields, w-ho was
born in Virginia or North Carolina, fought in the war of 1812. Absalom,
son of Robert Fields, came to Lawrence county, Indiana, in 181 7, settling
near old Port William, and was one of the earliest settlers in this county,
securing his land from the government. His son, Joseph, grandfather of
the subject of this sketch, was born in Lawrence county, and married Eliza-
beth Green, by whom he had eight children, among whom was George Fields,
father of the subject. George Fields was born in Martin county, Indiana, but
moved to Lawrence county in 1878. Some time later he moved back to
ALBERT J. FIELDS
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 561
Martin county, but in 1907 he again became a resident of Lawrence county
and now resides in Bedford. During his active years he followed farming
pursuits, but is now practically retired from active affairs. He married ]^Iary
Sheeks, the daughter of David L. and Susan (Horsey) Sheeks. Her father
was one of the prominent and wealthy citizens of Lawrence county, and
served at one time as county commissioner. At the time of his death he
was the owner of four thousand acres of land. To George and Marv Fields
were born five • children, namely : Addie. who remains at the old home ;
Albert J., the immediate subject of this sketch: Lizzie M., the wife of Willis
Kilburn, of Indianapolis; Laura Al., the wife oi William Lvnch, of INIartin
county, this state ; and Mary Fern Fields, who remains at home.
Albert J. Fields w^as born in Lawrence county, Indiana, on August 26,
1879, and his elementary education was received in the public schools of
Martin county, graduating from the high school at Shoals. Having deter-
mined to make the practice of law his life work, Mr. Fields then entered the
law department of the State L'^niversity, at Bloomington, where he was grad-
uated in 1904. with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In September of that
year he entered upon the active practice of his profession at Bedford and
was soon in command of a good share of the legal work in the local courts.
Natural aptitude and rigid training have qualified him for the most intricate
phases of legal practice and he has been eminently successful in the practice.
Of marked force of character and strong personality, Mr. Fields was, in
1909, elected by the citizens of Bedford to the chief magistracy of that citv.
a choice the wisdom of which has l^een al)un(1antly verified since he assumed
the position. During his term as mayor the city of Bedford has made re-
markable strides as a munici]:iality, the notable improvements consisting of
extensive and valuable additions to the water works system, a new electric
lighting contract, much more favorable to the city than the former one, an
increase of more than twenty-five per cent, in the number of street lights,
and the installation of the pedestal cluster light system for many of the
streets, and, notwithstanding all these improvements, more than twentv-five'
thousand dollars of city indebtedness has been paid off, certainly a record of
which any administration would have a right to be proud. Mr. Fields is a
Democrat in politics, and the second mayor of that political faith to be elected
in this city, while the last city election was the first in the historv of the citv
when an entire Democratic ticket was elected, ^h: Fields, bv his sound
business methods and wnse judgment in the handling of public aft'airs, earned
the commendation of his fellow citizens and in 191:^ he was again placed in
(36)
562 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
nomination by his party for the mayoralty. He has in mind several other
extensive improvements, which he will endeavor to make if successful in re-
election, notably in the fire department. He is entirely unselfish in the various
efiforts he has made to advance the welfare of his city, in which he takes a
pride, and he has earned the confidence of all who know him.
Fraternally, Mr. ImcUIs is a member of the Free and .Accepted Masons,
the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose. Religiously, he is a meml)er of the
Christian church. Personally, he possesses to an eminent degree those char-
acteristics which gain friendships and he is deservedly popular in the com-
munitv. . .. . - ■ v .
HOTXIS HENRY CHASE.
Whether the elements of succes> in this life are innate attributes of the
individual or whether the\- are (juickened by a process of circumstantial de-
velopment, it is impossible to clearly determine, ^'et the study of a success-
ful life, whate\er the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and profit-
able by -reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. In the life record of
Hollis H. Chase, who for many ycar< lias been identified with various in-
terests in Lawrence countv, Indi.ma, we find many .|ualities in his make-up
that alwavs gain definite success in anv career if ])roperh- directed. The splen-
did success which has crowned his eft'orts has been directly traceable to the
salient points in his character, for be started in life at the bottom of the
ladder, which be mounted unaided. He comes of a splendid American family,
one that has always been strong for right living and industrious habits, for
education and morrditx', for loyalt)- to the national government, and for all
that contributes to the welfare of a comnumity, and, because of his success in
life and bis high personal character, be is clearly entitled to specific mention
in the annals of his county.
Hollis H. Chase is descended from a long line of sturdy i)rogenitors, his
paternal genealogy, briefly stated, being as follows: (L) Thomas Chase, of
Hundrich, in the parish of Chesham. county of Bucks. England.
(H) Richard Chase, baptized August 3, 1542; married Jnan Bishop,
April 16, 1564.
(HI) Aquila. si.xth cb.ild of Richard and Joan (Bishop) Chase, was
l)aptize(l on August 14. 1580. His wife's given name was Sarah.
( TV) .Aquila. son of Aquila and Sarah Chase, was born in t6i8, and was
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 563
one of the first settlers of Hampton. 1636-9. He married Anne, daughter of
John Wheeler. About 1646 he removed to Ne\vbur\' and made many voyages
from there as master. His will was dated September 10, 1670. and his death
occurred on December ly, 1670. John Wheeler came tf) America in the
"Mary and John" in' 1634. His wife. Anne, died on August 15, 1662. at New-
bury. In his will, dated 1668. he mentions sons in Salisl)ury. Wilts county.
England.
(V) Daniel, the tenth child of Aquila and Anne Chase, was born on
December 9, 1661. and became a wheelwright. On August 2^, 1683, he mar-
ried Martha Kemball. His death occurred in Newbury February 8, 1707.
Richard Kemball. of Rattlesden. Suftold county, England, came in the "Eliza-
beth" in 1634. settling in \\'atertown. Massachusetts, where he was made a
freeman on May 6. 1635. He later went to Ipswich. He married Ursula
Scott, daughter of Henry Scott, from Rattlesden. and his wife. Martha
Whatlock. Richard Kemball died June 22. 1675. and his wife on March 1,
1676. Their son Henry was liaptized August 12. 161 5. at Rattlesden. Eng-
land. He came with his father in 1634. and married, aljout 1640. Mary,
daughter of John and Mary Wyatt. who came in the same sliip with Henry
and his father. Henry tlied in Wenham in 1676 and his wife died August
12. 1672. Their twelfth child was Martha, who was boni on .Vugust 18,
1664. In 1710 Widow INIartha (Kemball) Chase became the wife of Josiah
Heath, of Haverhill. Massachusetts.
(M) Isaac, the first son and fourth child of Daniel and Martha (Kem-
ball) Chase, was born on January 19. 1691. On October 29. 17 10, he mar-
ried Hannah Berry, who died of cancer on May 8. 1771. His death occurred
on Februarv 2-j, 1786. aged ninety-one years, one month and eight days.
Isaac Chase removed to Sutton March 2. 1722. He is said to have bought of
the Indians si.x liundred acres of land in Sutton for forty pounds sterling and
a gallon of rum.
(VII) Timothy, the third .son of Isaac and Hannah (Berry) Chase,
was born Februarv 12. 1719. proljably in Newbury. He married Leah Rob-
bins. He removed to Townshend. X'ermont. and died in Royalston. Massa-
chusetts.
Leah Robbins' ancestral line is as follows: Henry Avdams. of England.
who.se son. Thomas, was born in 1612, and married in i(>42 to I\lary Black-
more. To the latter union was born Jonathan on January 6. 1646. who mar-
ried Leah Gould, born May 6, 1663. daughter of Francis and Rose Gould.
Lvdia, daughter of Jonathan and Leah Adams, was born April 2. 1691. and.
on Augu.st 6. 1713. was married to Thomas Robbins. born probably in 1680.
564 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The last-named was a son of Robert Robbins, born in 1645, and Mary Max-
well, born in 1650, and who were married in 1670. To Thomas and Lydia
Robbins was born Leah Robbins on April 25, 1718.
(VIII) Henry, son of Timothy and Leah (Robbins) Chase, was born
in 1746, probably in Sutton or Upton. In 1775 he was living in LTpton and
served "in Captain Batchelor's company. Colonel Joseph Read's regiment.
He was one of the eight months' men who served in and around Boston in
1775;" was with the army at Bunker Hill, and on the i6th he went
home. His son Bazaleel, grandfather to the subject of this sketch, was born
on the day of the battle and he returned to the army the following day; other
records say he was in the battle. His three elder children were probably born
in Sutton or Upton. Tradition in the family is that he removed to Town-
shend, Vermont, from Sutton in 1776, and that he settled in Townshend,
near the line of Newfane, where he resided on the south side of West river
for some time and until the birth of a child, upon which interesting occasion
there was such a freshet that the '"family doctor was unable to cross, and that
he then made a vow that if the waters ever subsided he would remove to the
north side of the river, and did so." He purchased, in October, 1783, the
farm about three miles northeast of Townshend village and remained thereon
until his death, December 12, 183 1. It is also tradition in the family that
when he lived south of the river one child was born to him, which died young
and was buried in the cemetery in the vicinity. There is a tradition also that
when he came to Townshend it was from Swansey, New Hampshire. He was
the grantor in seventeen deeds of land in Townshend and grantee in four-
teen. In 1784 he was in a militia company under Capt. Josiah Fish, called
out in Windham county to subdue the rebellious New Yorkers at or near
Guilford and Brattleboro. He was a lieutenant, probably in the militia. He
married Hepsibah Walker, daughter of Obadiah Walker (and his wife, Hep-
sibah Shumway), of Douglas, Massachusetts, who afterwards removed to
Royalston. The date of the marriage is unknown. To Henry and Hepsibah
Chase were born the following children: (i) Abagall, born July 18, 1766,
died October 15, 1853. Was twice married, first to Amasa Wheelock on No-
vembef 27 1789, and, second, to her cousin, Enoch Chase. (2) Henry, Jr.,
born Octol)er 24, 1767, died X()\-ember 19, 1849. On Noveml^er 27, 1788, he
married Irene Wheelock, who was born in 1769, and died June 24, 1848. (3)
Edith, born July 15, 1770, died in August, 1848. She married Charles Kim-
ball about 1785-6. (4) Elias, born probably about 1772, died prior to July
24, 1806. On April 4, 1792, he married Phoebe Gould, and sometime prior
to 1804 married Lucy Pierce, nee Cheney. (5) Bazaleel .(TX) is referred to
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 565
specifically in later paragraphs. (6) Hepsibah, born 1 780-1, died July 6,
1867, aged sixty-six years. On May 3, 1801, she married Ebenezer Johnson,
who was born on February 14, 1777. (7) Electa, born 1783-4, died August
9, 1867, aged eighty-three years. She became the wife of William Fisher.
(8) Sardis Riley, born May 18. 1788, died February 24 or 26, 1863. in
Washington, Indiana. He married Persis Paine.
(IX) Bazaleel Chase, the sixth in order of birth of the above children,
and grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at Sutton or Upton
on June 17, 1775, the day of the battle of Bunker Hill. Fie was a farmer,
laborer and mechanic, spending his life at various places, including Jamaica
(and probably some part in Townshend), Windham county, and Andover,
Windsor county, Vermont. Politically, he was a Whig. His death occurred
at Andover, Vermont, on July 26, 1854, at the age of seventy-nine years. On
May 13, 1 801, he married Susannah Taft, a direct line relative of ex- Presi-
dent William H. Taft, and to them were born the following children: Hib-
bard T., (X) Balis, Alanson B., Elliott C, Sardis R., Winifred, who married
Henry Whitman, and Welthy. wlio married Amos Howard. None of these,
children are now living. The mother of these children died at Andover or
Jamaica, Vermont, September 10, 1854, at the age of seventy-three years.
(X) Balis Chase, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Ja-
maica, Vermont, on December 13, 1807, and was there reared. He attended
the public schools during a term of two months each winter. During his
school days he worked out for his board and clothes, and during about four
to six months of the year he received from six to ten dollars a month for his
labor. He thus worked and saved until he had accumulated six hundred dol-
lars, when he married. He was a teamster and followed contracting and
farming in Chester and Andover, Vermont, and was a man of good char-
acter and respectable standing in his community. His death occurred at And-
over on April 29, 1887, at the age of eight}^ years. Balis Chase married Sarah
Howard, who was born at Andover, Vermont, the daughter of David and
Cynthia (Crossman) Howard. FTer father was an extensive and prosperous
farmer on "Howard Hill," Andover, near whose home the first school house
in the town was built. He died at Andover on December 25, 1869, aged
eighty-eight years. His wife died February 2. 1841, aged fifty-seven years.
Their children, all of whom are deceased, were as follows: Elmira, Dr. C. W.
■Chandler, Lois, Sarah (Mrs. Balis Chase, and mother of the subject of
this sketch) ; Cynthia, Rosina, Henry and Elias. These children were all
active and capable in their various departments of life, and one, Elias, was a
prominent and successful physician and surgeon at Akron, Ohio, where his
566 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
death occurred. To Balis and Sarah Chase were born the following chil-
dren: (i) Albert Balis Chase, who died at the age of five years. (2) David
Howard Chase, born September 17, 1833, died at the age of fifty-one years,
after a successful and useful career as a physician. He married Rebecca Ann
Burton, who also is deceased. (3) Hollis Henry Chase (XI), the imme-
diate subject of this review. (4) Sarah Elizabeth Chase, born April 7, 1840,
became the wife of Commodore Perry Williams, now deceased, and she lives
at Mt. Olive, near Williams, Indiana. (5) Clement Balis Chase, born Oc-
tober I, 1844, is a farmer at Simonsville, Vermont. He first married Emma
Zora Stootley, and, after her death, Alice Haseltine. (6) Laurin Whiting
Chase, born April 28, 1851, died at the age of eighteen years, unmarried.
The mother of these children, at the age of seventy-five years, came from
her \^ermont home to Lawrence county, Indiana, to visit her children who
were residing here, and, while at the home of the subject of this sketch, her
death occurred about a week after her arrival.
(XI) Hollis Henry Chase was born at Andover, Windsor county, \^er-
mont, on October 11. 1836, and spent his early years amid tbe rough, stony
and precipitous hills of that locality, the residents of which had long been
characterized by sturdiness, honesty, industry and patriotism. Of the early
settlers of Andover, eighteen were in the war of the Revolution, and when
the call was made for volunteers for t!ie war of 1812 twenty-five of its citi-
zens enlisted, two of whom had served in the Revolutionary struggle. The
town first voted to pay the men fi^•e dollars each, but subsequently increased
this amount to ten dollars per month. Alvin Adams, the founder of the
Adams Express Company, and Rev. William S. Balch, the noted traveler
and author and eminent Universalist minister, were reared in Andover, near
the subject's boyhood home, he being acquainted with both families, and it
has l)een his pleasure to hear Dr. Balch preach.
Mr. Chase secured his elementary education in the district schools, sup-
plementing this by attendance at Chester Academy, Cliester. Vermont. At the
age of about seventeen years Mr. Chase engaged in te;ithing scliool in Nortli
Springfield. Vermont, during the winter months, his sunnners being devoted
to farm work. Mr. Chase relates that when he engaged to teach the school,
the director contracted to pay him seventeen or twentv dollars a month, ac-
cording to his success, the director to be the judge. At the end of the term,
while taking him home in his sleigh, the director inquired as to how much he
ov.ed. Mr. Chase replied, "You know the agreement." To the latter's great
gratification, the director said, "I shall pay you the twenty dollars per month."
Eventuallv, desiring a field of larger and better opportunities. M» Chase
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 567 '
came to Indiana, locating first at Washington, where he found employment in
a marble shop. Here he was employed by the piece and for a time he did not
make enough to pay his board, but, in the course of time, he became so ex-
pert in his work that the most important work was intrusted to him and he
was thus enabled to earn good wages. He boarded with a relative and paid
four dollars a week for his board. Then, for a while Mr. Chase engaged in
teaching school in Martin and Lawrence counties, this state, after which he
engaged with A. J. Johnson, publisher, of Brooklyn, New York, to introduce
his large atlas in the state of Delaware, securing changes and corrections
of the surveys for the maps, and introducing and canvassing for the work.
Subsequently he returned west and resumed teacliing, being engaged in Law-
rence county, Indiana, and Stanford, Kentucky. While at the latter place
Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Presidency, and soon afterwards Mr.
Chase returned to Indiana and enlisted as a private in Company K, Forty-
ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was made first sergeant and
served with his command about two years, when he was detailed for duty in
the office of the military commander at Indianapolis, Colonel J. S. Simonson,
where he remained vintil finally discharged from the service. During the
years since those eventful days Mr. Chase has been variously engaged, as a
teacher some, but principally as a farmer and stock raiser. He has been suc-
cessful in his efforts and is now the owner of three hundred acres of good
land along White river, with some property interests in Akron, Ohio. His
life has been a strenuous one until recent years, and his success has been due
solely to his perseverance and well directed efforts. He is now residing in
the attractive town of Williams, where he has ever been found in support-
of such measures as have promised to benefit the community.
Politically, Mr. Chase has always supported the Repubhcan party and,
though not a seeker after public office, he has served his township efficiently
as supervisor of roads for many years, as school director for six or eight
years, and as secretary of the advisory board of Spice Valley township for
over twelve years, being still the incumbent of the latter position. His only
fraternal affiliations are with the Grand Army of the Republic.
On July 15, 1863, while connected with the military commander's office
at Indianapolis, Mr. Chase was married to Susan Williams, who was born on
September 24, 1838, near what is now Williams, Lawrence county, Indiana,
the daughter of Richard and Abigail (Kern) Williams. Richard Williams
was born in Sevier county, Tennessee, on August 16, 1806, and died in Law-
rence county, Indiana, on August 10, 1880, in the seventy-fourth year of his
age. He was an extensive farmer, owned several farms of valuable land
568 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
along White river, and was highly respected in the community of his resi-
dence. His wife was a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, and died in the
eighty-second year of her age. They were the parents of the following chil-
dren : Ahenioam, Commodore Perry and Mahala are deceased ; Canaan was
twice married, first to Jane Hastings, and, after her death, to Miranda
Mosier; Susan, wife of Hollis H. Chase; Rebecca is the widow of Jacob Bos-
sert; Cornelia is the widow of A. D. Hinshaw; Tilghman H. married Josie
McClung, now deceased; Olevia J. became the wife of James Leonard, of
Portland, Oregon; William M. married Flora Short, and after her death
he married Kate Williams.
To Mr. and Mrs. Chase have been born the following children: (i) Ab-
bie Sarah, who was born at Andover, \"ermont, September 12, 1864, married
David M. Monical, miller and dealer in flour, grain, feed and coal, at Will-
iams, Indiana, and they have one child, Lela. (2) Laurin Sardis, born No-
vember 12, 1869. is a prosperous farmer of White river land near Williams,
he was married, but his wife died, leaving no issue. (3) Lizzie B., born
August 19, 1873, became the wife of Hannibal E. Monical, a lumber dealer
in St. Petersburg, Florida, and merchandise interests at Williams, Indiana.
They have one child, Cecil Chase Monical, now seventeen years old and at-
tending school. (4) Anna Flora, born July 20. 1876, married Samuel R.
Short, a farmer near Williams, and they have four children, Ermel L., Cora
C, Ava S. and Morris C.
Mr. and Mrs. Chase are earnest mem.bers of the Church of Christ, as
are their children, sons-in-law and two grandchildren, D. M. Monical being
an elder and H. E. Monical a deacon in the church at Williams. Mr. Chase
has ever been true to everv trust reposed in him and, because of his genuine
worth and splendid qualities of character, he is clearly entitled to representa-
tion in this work.
FIENRY A. LEE.
One of the most difficult tasks is to write an unexceptionable memoir of
a living man. If the life is worthy of record there is always danger of of-
fending that delicacy which is inseparable from merit, for even moderate
praise, when it meets the eyes of its subject, is apt to seem fulsome, while
a nice sense of propriety would not be the less wounded by a dry abstract
containing nothing but names and dates. To sum up a career which is not
vet ended would appear like recording events which have not transpired.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 569
since justly to estimate the scope and meaning of a history it is important
that we have the closing chapter. In writing biographical notice, therefore,
the chronicler from the moment he takes up his pen should consider the sub-
ject as no longer among his contemporaries, for thus he will avoid the fear of
offending by bestowing praise where it is merited and escape the risk of giv-
ing but a fragmentary view of that which must eventually be taken as a unit.
At some risk, therefore, the writer in this connection addresses himself to
the task of placing on record the life and career of a man who, by the force
of strong individuality, has achieved success in one of the most responsible
and exacting callings, and by sheer force of individuality won for himself an
enviable position among the leading men of the city and county honored by
his citizenship.
Henry A. Lee is a native son of Indiana, having been born in Hamilton
county on November 19, 1854, and is a son of James and Lydia (Anderson)
Lee. The father was a native of Indiana and of Virginia descent, and the
mother of New Jersey. They came to Indiana in 1821, being among the first
settlers of Hamilton county, where they followed agricultural pursuits and
were numbered among the leading citizens of their community. They were
the parents of nine children, namely: .Silas B., Luther, James C. and John M.,
twins ; Elizabeth, Elliott, Henry, the immediate subject of this sketch ; Alice,
and one other, both of whom are deceased. Henry Lee secured his elementary
education in the public schools of Hamilton county, after which he became
a student in the Indiana State University, where he graduated in 1878. He
then took up the study of law and in due time was admitted to the bar in
Hamilton county, where he for a time practiced his profession. In 1885 Mr.
Lee went to Kansas, where for seven years he actively practiced law and,
because of his eminent ability and high character, he soon attained to a high
place in the esteem of the people there, who, in 1889, elected him to a mem-
bership in the state Legislature from Kingman county, in which position he
made a splendid record. In 1892 Mr. Lee came to Bloomington, Indiana, en-
tered upon the active practice of his profession and has since been numbered
among the most energetic, able and successful members of the local bar.
Years of conscientious work have brought with them not only an increase of
practice and reputation, but also a growth in legal knowledge and a wide and
accurate judgment, the possession of which constitutes marked excellence in
his profession. In discussion of the principles of law Mr. Lee is noted for
clearness and candor and, having once sought and found firm ground, nothing
can drive him from his position, though at the same time his zeal for a client
never leads him to urge arguments which are not in harmony with the law.
570 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
By a straightforward and honorable course he has built up a large legal busi-
ness and is numbered today among the men of sturdy integrity and recog-
nized ability who are reflecting credit upon their profession.
In 1885 the subject of this sketch was united in marriage to Minnie M.
Rogers, the daughter of Isaac M. and Emily Rogers, and to them has been
born one child, Roger A., who is at home.
Politically, Mr. Lee is an ardent supporter of the Republican party,
though never an aspirant for office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free
and Accepted Masons and Modern Woodmen of America, while his religious
belief is embodied in the organization of the Christian church, of which he is
a faithful member and earnest supporter. Mr. Lee is not only a well trained
lawyer, but is widely informed on current topics, honest and upright in all
his relations with his fellow men and today few citizens of Monroe county
are better known and none more highly respected, for in all phases of his
career since making his home here, he has performed his full part as a man
among men and has earned and retains the sincere regard and confidence of
all who know him. Personally he is genial and unassuming, easily makes
friends and enjoys a large acquaintance throughout the county.
ROBERT G. MILLER.
The life history of him whose name heads this biographical sketch has
been for many years closely identified with the history of Monroe county, In-
diana. Throughout the years his life has been one of imtiring activity and it
has been crowned with a degree of professional success attained by compara-
tively few who aspire to eminence in their chosen calling. Years of con-
scientious work as a lawyer have brought with them not only increase of prac-
tice and reputation but also that growth in legal knowledge and that wide and
accurate judgment, the possession of which constitutes marked excellence in
the profession. By a straightforward, honorable course Mr. Miller has built
up a large and lucrative legal business and financially has been proportionately
successful. His life affords a splendid example of what an American youth,
plentifully endowed with good common sense, energy and determination, can
accomplish when accompanied by good moral principles. He achieved a splen-
did record at the bar at an age when most men are merely starting out on their
life work, for, from the beginning, he was intensely methodical and unswerv-
ingly persistent in search of the true light and of the essentials of the legal
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 57I
foundation and sources of legal conception and thought, holding de\()utly to
the highly embellished record of equity and the sure, certain, invincible
methods of practice. Therefore, success could not help crowning his efforts
and attracting to him public recognition and appreciation.
Robert G. Miller was born on August 5, 1871, in Tippecanoe county, In-
diana, and is the son of Henry A. and Martha (Shigley) Miller, the former
born in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1847, ^^^ the latter in Tippecanoe county,
Indiana, in 1843. They were the parents of two children, the subject of this
sketch and Mattie F.. who died in infancy. Henry A. Miller, who now re-
sides at Montmorenci, Tippecanoe county, Indiana, is a successful farmer and
is also equally successful in business affairs, being president of the bank at
Montmorenci. In public affairs he has long occupied a high position, having
served as treasurer of Tippecanoe county and was trustee of Shelby town-
ship, that county. A stanch Republican in politics, he has long been active in
political ranks and in every relation of life he has been true to everv trust.
Additional interest attaches to his career from the fact that at the earlv age of
fifteen years, in 1862, he enlisted for military service as a private in Company
E, Ninety-fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close
of the war. His regiment was assigned to the Army of the West under Gen-
eral Sherman, but subsequently the command was detached from that army
and was sent south to Mobile Bay. They later fought at the siege of \^icks-
burg and all the other battles of that cam.paign. Mr. Miller was for three
months a prisoner in the notorious Andersonville prison pen and suffered un-
told hardships and privations during this experience. He was twice married,
first to Martha A. Shigley, who died when the subject of this sketch was two
years old, and the father later married Margaret Godman, now deceased, to
which union were born six children, namelv: Anna, who died in infancv;
Fannie, who is living with her father: Mary, the wife of H. C. Westfall, of
Buttsville, North Dakota; Delia M.. living with her father; Nellie, twin to
Delia, died in infancy, and Henry L., who is a graduate of the Indiana State
Universitv and is now living at Custer, South Dakota, where he is connected
with the forestry service.
The subject of this sketch received a good education in the pulilic schools
of Shelby township, Tippecanoe county, and then took a three years" course in
Purdue University. Having decided to devote his life to the practice of law,
he then entered the law department of the State University, where he re-
ceived his degree in 1893. During the following ff)ur months he was engaged
in the practice of his profession at Lafayette, Indiana, after which time, on
October 15, 1893, he came to Bloomington and entered into a professional
572 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
partnership with J. R. East, this association lasting until March 17, 1897,
when the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Miller became a partner with
Arthur Hadley. This association was a strong and successful one, but was
dissolved in 1906. the subject of this sketch buying his partner's interest.
Until February. 1911, Mr. Miller practiced alone, and then became a partner
in the firm of Batman, Aliller & Blair. This firn. succeeded the firm of Dun-
can & Batman, which was dissolved January 30, 191 1, by the death of Judge
Duncan. This is one of the oldest and most substantial legal firms in Monroe
county, which for years has Ijeen identified with most of the important cases
at the local bar. The suliject of tliis sketch has successfully defended seven
murder trials and many other important criminal cases, and in the general
practice the firm has met with a notable degree of success. From 1897 to
1 90 1 Mr. ]\liller served as deputy ])rosecuting attorney under James A. Zaring,
and 1 90 1 until 1905 he served as prosecuting attorney of the tenth judicial
circuit, having been elected the first time by a plurality of one thousand, and
his election being secured the second time without opposition, he leading his
party ticket in both counties of the circuit, certainly a marked testimonial to
his popularity and the pulilic opinion as to his ability. As a lawyer Mr. Miller
has ever maintained a high standing, never descending beneath the dignity of
his profession or compromising his usefulness by countenancing any but
nol;)le and legitimate practice.
On August 2T,. 1894, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Olive May
Hughes, the daughter of David Hughes, and to this union has been born one
child, Henry Hughes, who is a student in the Bloomington high school. Mrs.
]\liller is a woman of many gracious (pialities of head and heart, possessing
intellectual ability of high order and is well educated, being a graduate of the
Indiana State University, where she received the degree of Master of Arts.
For a time she gave private lessons in elocution and is now often requested to
read for pul)lic entertainments, her work being of high order and always well
received
Politically, Mr. Miller is an ardent Republican, believing that the past
record of the party entitles it to the support of every fair-minded man. Fra-
ternally, he has l>een for manv vears active and is held high in the societies
with w hich he is connected. He belongs to Monroe Lodge No. 22, Free and
Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master; to Lodge No. 446, Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks, of which he is a past exalted ruler, and to
Lodge No. 22, Ivnights of Pythias, of which he is a past chancellor. In the
latter order he has received distinctive preferment in the grand lodge, having
served as grand instructor for the state of Indiana during 1906 and 1907,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 573
and was also president of the Indiana Pythian building commission, which
had in charge the erection of the magnificent Pythian building at Indianapolis.
Religiously, the family belong to the Lincoln Street Christian church, of which
they are regular attendants. The family residence is located at No. 509
West Kirkwood avenue, and is one of the most attractive and comfortable
residences in Bloomington, and here the many friends of the family are de-
lighted to gather, for they are always assured of a hearty welcome and an
enjoyable hour. Personally, yir. Aliller is a pleasant gentleman, honest and
upright at all times and he is not only held in high esteem for his superior
professional ability, but for his public-spirited nature, his wholesome private
and social life, and his position is secure as one of ^Monroe county's most
influential men.
ULYSSES S. HANNA.
Perseverance and sterling worth are almost always sure to win conspic-
uous recognition in all localities. Ldysses S. Hanna, who for a number of
years has been recognized as one of the leading mathematicians of the state,
having for nearly two decades held a position in the department of mathe-
matics in the Indiana State L'niversity, at Bloomington, affords a fine example
of the successful, self-made man, who is not only eminently deserving of the
confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens, but also possesses the talent
and forcefulness that have made him successful as an instructor and educator.
A man of strong filler and vigorous mentality, he has achieved a signal success
in his special calling and has earned high words of commendation from those
competent to form a proper estimate of the man and his accomplishments.
Ulysses S. Hanna was born in Delaware county, Indiana, on January 16,
1865, and is the son of William and Rhoda (Boots) Hanna, both of whom
were natives of the state of Ohio. In 1854 thev moved to Indiana, locating
in Delaware county, where the father continued to follow agricultural pur-
suits during the rest of his active life, he and his wife being now deceased.
Ulysses S. Hanna recei\'ed his early education in the common schoiils of Dela-
ware county, graduating from the high school in ]\Iuncie, Indiana. From
1883 to 1894 he engaged in teaching school, and in the latter year he became
a student in Indiana University, taking a special course in mathematics, in
which he was graduated in 1895, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He
received his Master's degree from his alma mater in 1898 and in 1905 the
University of Pennsylvania conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Phil-
574 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
(jsophy. In 1895 he began teaching mathematics in the Indiana University,
which he has continued to the present time, with the exception of some brief
periods spent in outside study. In 1904 Mr. Hanna was elected city engineer
of Bloomington, being still retained in that official position and discharging
his duties to the entire satisfaction (jf all concerned. With a profound and
comprehensive knowledge of his profession, Mr. Hanna combines the ability
to impart, in an interesting way, to others the knowledge he possesses, and
he is one of the most popular and successful mf^mbers of the faculty of this
great educational institution. He is allied with a number of scientific socie-
ties, membership in se\eral of which is considered a distinct honor and mark
of distinction. He is thus a member of the American Mathematical Society,
a fellow of the American Association iov the A(l\ancement of Science, a mem-
ber of the Mathematiker X'ereinegung. at Leipsic, (iermany; of the Circolo
Matematico di Palermo, of Italy, and of the Indiana Engineering Society, in
the i)roceedings of which societies be takes a deep interest. He is also a mem-
Ijcr of the honorary literary society. Phi Beta Kappa, and a memlier of the
honorary scientific society, Sigma Xi.
In November, 1 8qo, Mr. Hanna was united in marriage with Cora
Pierce, the daughter of William H. and Emma (Cecil) Pierce. Her father,
who was a nati\e of ( )hio, was for many years an acti\e and successful min-
ister of the Metluxlist Episcopal church, but ex'entvially retired and tocjk up the
vocation of farming, to which he still gives the major part of his time and
attention, though his \-oice is still fre(|uently heard in the pulpits of his church
when called ui)on. I lis wife was a native of Delaware county. Indiana. Mrs.
Cora Hanna died in iStjj, leaving two children, Hubert and Cecil. On Decem-
ber 2y. 1901, Mr. Hanna married lUla Millis, the daughter of John and Maria
(Bruner) Millis, both of whom were natives of Orange county, Indiana.
The father, v. ho was formerly a farmer, engaged also in the mercantile
business, which demanded his attention for fifteen )'ears, but he is now
retired from active pursuits. Both of Mr. Hanna's fatber.s-indaw were vet-
erans (jf the Ci\il war, William H. Pierce having l^een a member of the Eighty-
fourth Regiment Indiana \'olunteer Infantry, and John Millis, wlio enlisted as
a private in Company D, Sixty-sixth Regiment Indiana X'olunteer Infantry,
became a lieutenant before the close of the war. To Mr. 1 lanna's second union
was born one child, John.
Politically, Mr. Hanna was formerly a Repu])lican, but he is now an en-
thusiastic supporter of the Progressive party. I*"raternally, he is a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the h>ee and Accepted Masons,
having taken the degrees of lodge, chajjter and council in the latter body.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 575
Religiously, he is an active member of the Alethxlist F.piscopal church. Per-
sonally, he is a man of genial and approachable disposition, possessing to a
marked degree those ([ualities which make and retain friendships. During
the years of his connection with educaticMial work at the State University, he
has at all times tried to keep in close touch with the students with whom he
has been connected and many of these young men ha\e gone out into the world
and achieved eminent success in their several stations. His influence has been
potent and his sympathies broad, so that he has been enabled to (juietly, yet
strongly, call forth the best in those with whom lie has lieen associated. Those
who know him are unstinted in their ])raise of his genial disposition and supe-
rior abilitv, and he has ever held the une(|uivocal confidence and esteem of
the peoplei among whom he has lived and labored.
T. MARIOX RICE.
Few residents of Monroe county are as well and fa\'oral)!y known as the
enterprising business m:m and representative citizen whose life stor}- is l)riefly
told in the following lines and none stand higher than he in the esteem and
confidence of the communitv in which he resides and for the material advance-
ment of which he has devoted so nrach of his time and influence.
J. Marion Rice has been a lifelong resident of Monroe county, having
been born here on Ma\- iS. 1874, and is a son of Xathan L. and Xancy Eliza-
beth (Burks) Rice, both of whom were also nati\-es of Monroe county. The
subject's paternal grandfather, Robert Rice, was a natixe of \'irginia. who
came to Monroe county in a \ery early day, settling at Whitehall. His wife
was a native of this county. Xathan Lewis Rice became a student in the Indi-
ana Eclectic Medical College of Indianapolis, where he was graduated in due
lime and was a practicing physician here during practically all of his active
life, enjoying to a marked degree the confidence of the people among whom
he mingled. He was a man of marked professional ability and was notably
successful in the practice of his profession. To him and his wife were born
five children, namely: Benjamin V.. deceased: ]\lclvin. deceased; J. IMarion,
Alfred A. and Roy H. J. Marion Rice attended the common schools of his
home cominnnity, receiving a good practical education. He completed his
education by taking a complete course in pharmacy, after wliich he opened a
drug store at Ellettsville, Monroe county, Indiana, which he has since con-
ducted with notable success. Thoroughly (pialified by natural aptitude and
576 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
technical training", ]\Ir. Rice has pro\en himself abundantly qualified for the
special line of effort to which he devotes his attention, and because of his
square dealing, courteous treatment of his customers and genial disposition, he
has, ever since locating" here, commanded his full share of local patronage.
On August 9, 1896, the subject of this sketch was married to Luella
Carpenter, a daughter of b>ank and I£lizabeth (McPheeters) Carpenter, who
were early settlers in Alonroe count}*. To this union have been born two chil-
dren, Charles Russell Hubert and Marion Lucile.
Politically, J. Marion Rice is an enthusiastic ^ upporter of the Progressive
party, belie\'ing firmly the principles embodied in the platform of this
party to be th(_>se most likely to conserve the best interests of the whole
American people. He has never been an aspirant for political ofihce, though
he is now serving as president of the local school board and is also a member
of the county board of education. bVaternally, Mr. Rice is a member of the
b>ee and Accepted Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Improved
Order of Red Men and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the first
three named orders at Ellettsville and the Elks at Bloomington. Religiously,
lie is a member of the Church of Christ, to whicli he gives earnest support.
THE MOORE FAMILY
Among the families of Lawrence county, Indiana, whose members have
worthily discharged their duties to their fellows and their community, no
family takes higher rank than the Moores, of whom several representatives
are today prominently identified with the business and social life of Mitchell.
For many years members of this family have stood for all that is best in
business, educational, moral or social life and have wielded an influence that
has been potential in the development and welfare of their community, being
numbered among the enterprising and progressive citizens of the county. Be-
cause of the prominence which the family has enjoyed and the close relations
they have sustained to the welfare and prosperity of the locality which has
been honored l)y their citizenships, they are eminently entitled to representa-
tion in a work of the character of the one at hand.
Silas Moore was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, on July 9, 1801,
and he was numbered an-iong the early settlers at Mitchell, Indiana, though
prior to his coming here he had kept a hotel at Orleans, Indiana. His par-
ents had come to Monroe county, this state, where they spent the rest of
^^.^^^^ei^.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 57/
their lives. From 1854, when he located in Mitchell, Silas Moore took an
active and influential part in the upbuilding and development of the com-
munity and was a man of marked force and power in everything to which he
gave his attention. In 1824 Silas Moore had made a profession of religion,
and, under the pastor, Rev. William Martin, he united with the Presbyterian
church, which he served as elder both at Livonia and Orleans. This was un-
doubtedly one of the most important acts of his life, for in the new commun-
ity with which he cast his fortune his godly life and readiness in all good
work gained for him the confidence and good will of the people and he
exerted a marked influence in church and society at large. He satisfactorily
filled many positions of trust and at his death Mitchell lost one of her best
citizens. In all of his business transactions he was just and reasonable and
he never violated in the slightest degree the confidence which the people placed
in him. No interest of the church or other worthy cause ever appealed to him
without receiving a generous response, and his pastor always found him
ready to co-operate in every good work. He was seventy-five years old at the
time of his death. Silas Moore first married Mary McClelland Moore, of
Kentucky, whose death occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1847, and he sub-
sequently married Mary Lowe, of Bloomington, Indiana, who also died. To
the first union were born three children, namely : Sarah Ann, who became
the wife of David Clark, of Louisville, Kentucky; William H. H. was a
merchant in Mitchell, Indiana; and Milton N.
Milton N. Moore was born in Millersburg, Indiana, on November 15,
1835, and died on May 26, 1904. His educational facilities were confined to
the common schools and upon attaining mature age he went into business at
Mitchell in partnership with his father, with whom he was associated for
several years. Eventually the firm name became Milton N. Moore & Son, the
latter being William T. Moore. In 1882 he started the bank at Mitchell, with
which the Moore family has been identified ever since and which enjoys the
distinction of being the oldest bank in Lawrence county. Of this bank he was
the owner and president up to the time of his death and in that capacity he
became a most important factor in the business life and development of this
section of the county. He also owned a good deal of town property in Mit-
chell, as well as valuable farm lands in this cotmty. He was actively engaged
in the organization and starting of the Southern Indiana Nonnal School at
Mitchell and to his sound advice and encouragement the success of that in-
stitution in its beginning was largely attributable. Intensely optimistic and
far-sighted, he entered heart and soul into every enterprise to which he ad-
(37)
578 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
dressed himself, and his own enthusiasm was so infectious that others were
led to add their efforts and influence.
Politically, Milton N. Moore \\as a Republican and was earnest in the
support of his honest convictions in politics as in everything else, but he was
in no sense ambitious for public office. His religious membership was with
the Presbyterian church, in which he was active. Fraternally, he was a mem-
ber of the Masonic order, having attained to the degree of the council of
Royal and Select Masters.
On August 22, 1855, Milton N. Moore married Mary L. Noble, of Lex-
ington, Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas H. Noble. The latter owned a
plantation and rope walk, but in later life went to St. Louis, Missouri, where
he and his wife died. They were the parents of the following children:
Thomas C now deceased, was at the head of an art school at Cincinnati,
Ohio: Fannie, who died, unmarried: William T., deceased, who resided at St.
Louis, ]\Iissouri : Mary L., wife of Milton N. Moore, was born on May 21,
1837, and died on Jiily 15, 1909. To Milton and Mary Moore were born the
following children: William T., a merchant and real estate dealer at Mit-
chell, married Lillie Dodson, of ^Mitchell, and they had three children, Egbert
D. (in the millinery business at Indianapolis, and who married Fleta Bur-
ton), Menlo E. (in the theatrical business in Chicago, who married Arna
Pagett) and Lowell T., at home: Rosamond, of Mitchell: Fannie, who died
in March, 1912, was the wife of W. R. Richardson, a druggist at Mitchell,
and thev had a son, Leland, a student in the State University; Sallie L., of
:\Iitchell: Edward P.. who succeeded bis father as president of the Bank of
Mitchell, was married, on December 28, 1892, to Elizabeth Hyatt, of Wash-
ington, Indiana; Noble L. Moore, cashier of the Bank of Mitchell, was mar-
ried on July 12, 1905, to Pearl H. Harlan, of Mitchell: Mark N., assistant
cashier of the Bank of Mitchell.
Milton N. Moore was a self-made man and in business affairs he was
strict, yet kindly and just in all his dealings. He was broad-minded and
generous, and in his private life he performed many acts of kindness and
charity known only to himself and the beneficiary. From the time he identi-
fied himself with the Presbyterian church at Mitchell, on February 19, 1865,
he \\as one of its most active members, and he served as secretary and treas-
urer of the Sunday school for fourteen years.
In the veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic Mr. Moore always
took unusual interest, his membership in that honored organization being par-
ticularly consonant from the fact that, in July, 1862, he enlisted in the Six-
teenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served his country faith-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 579
fully until after the siege of \'ick.sburg, when he resigned his commission as
first lieutenant and returned home. Useless to say that Mr. Moore worked
hard and honorably earned the reputation which he enjoyed as one of the
leading public-spirited citizens of this locality, and it is also needless to add
that he was held in the highest esteem by all with whom he came in contact,
for he threw the force of his strong individuality and sterling integrity into
making the county what it is, and his efforts did not fail of appreciation on
the part of the local public. His name will ever be inseparably linked with
that of the community so long honored by his citizenship, whose interests
could have had no more zealous and indefatigable supporter, and his in-
fluence was ever exerted to the end that the world might be made better by
his presence. His sons are carrying forward nobly the work so auspiciously
inaugurated by him and are upholding the dignity and honor of the name
they bear. Of Edward P. Moore, it is worthy of note, that having been con-
nected with the Bank of Mitchell from the time of its organization, he is thus
the oldest banker in point of continuous service in Lawrence countv.
DAVID ANDREW ROTHROCK, A. M., Pii. D.
Of high intellectual and professional attainment and ranking among the
foremost educators of tlie state, David Andrew Rothrock. the efficient and
popular professor of mathematics in Indiana Universit}', has achieved marked
distinction in the work to which his talents and energy have long been de-
voted. As a teacher and principal of public schools he made his presence felt
and as a citizen in the daily walks of life liis influence has always tended to
the advancement of the community and the welfare of his fellow men, while
in the advanced educational field in w hich he is now engaged he has wielded
a large and beneficent influence not only as an instructor in the science to
which he is devoted, but has also had a wholesome and stimulating influence
on the students who have come in contact with him. His name with eminent
fitness occupies a conspicuous place in the profession which he adorns and
his career presents a series of successes which has gained for him more than
a local reputation.
David A. Rothrock was born on January 31, 1864, on the paternal farm-
stead near Milltown, Indiana. He is the son of Amos and Mary Elizabeth
(Burnett) Rothrock, both of whom were natives of Indiana and both are now
deceased, the father having been actively engaged in agricultural operations
580 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
near Milltown up to the time of his death. They were the parents of three
children, George W., John W. and David A.
David A. Rothrock received a good, practical education in the common
schools of his native town and then was for two years a student in Valparaiso
University at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he graduated in 1887 with the degree
of Bachelor of Arts. He then took a course in Indiana University, graduat-
ing in 1892 and gaining his Master's degree in 1893. In 1898 he received
from the University of Leipsic, Germany, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
He attended the University of Chicago, doing post-graduate work in 1894 and
1896. During the ten-year period from 1881 to 1891, Professor Rothrock
was engaged as a public school teacher and principal of schools at various
places in Indiana and Illinois and was numbered among the popular and suc-
cessful educators of this period. In 1892 Professor Rothrock became an
instructor in mathematics in Indiana University, in 1895 was made assistant
professor, 1900 became associate professor, 1905 junior professor and since
1908 has been professor of mathematics, holding one of the most important
chairs in this great university. Professor Rothrock possesses an exhaustive
knowledge of the science of mathematics, in which he is widely recognized
as an authority, and he has been honored by the following memberships : Fel-
low of the Indiana Academy of Science; a member of the American Mathe-
matical Society; a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement
of Science; a member of the Deutsche Matematiker Vereinegung, Leipsic, Ger-
many ; a member of the Circolo Matematico De Palermo, Italy, and also a
member of the Society Matematique de France. He is the author of several
valuable treatises on mathematics, including "Essentials of Algebra," 1904;
"Supplementary Examples in Algebra,'" 1906; and "Plane and Spherical Trigo-
nometry," 1909, and also other works now in preparation. He possesses a
love and enthusiasm for his work which has enabled him to accomplish results
impossible to one of less devotion, and no member of the faculty of Indiana
University enjoys a larger degree of popularity or esteem among his fellow
members of the faculty.
Professor Rothrock was married on September 12, 1905, to Grace Shir-
ley, a daughter of Dr. Henry W. and Emily (McKnight) Shirley, of Shoals,
Indiana. Doctor Shirley, who was a native of Shoals, is one of the most
successful physicians of that locality, enjoying a large practice. His wife,
who also is a native of this state, is deceased. Professor and Mrs. Roth-
rock are the parents of three children, Flenry, Mary Emily and David A., Jr.
Politically, Professor Rothrock is a staunch Republican, but has never
been particularly ambitious for public ofifice. From 1902 to 1904 he rendered
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 581
efficient service as city engineer of Bloomington. Religiously, he is a member
of the Presb\'terian church, and his wife is identified with the Methodist
Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, in which
he has attained to the degrees of the chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and in
which he takes a deep interest. Professor Rothrock is a well-rounded, sym-
metrically developed man, fully alive to the demands of the times, thoroughly
informed on the leading questions before the public and takes broad views of
men and things. By keeping in touch with the times and the trend of current
thought, he is enabled to discharge the duties of citizenship in the intelligent
manner becoming the level-headed American citizen of today and he mani-
fests an abiding interest in whatever makes for the material advancement of
the community, encouraging all A\orthy enterprists and lending his influence
to means whereb_\- his fellow men will be benefited and made better. He is
in hearty accord with laudable and healthful pastimes and sports and all kinds
of athletics which tend to develop and strengthen the physical powers. He
is a gentleman of pleasing personality, refined and cultured, courteous in his
relations with his fellows and retains the warm and abiding friendship of all
with whom he associates.
RUFUS H. EAST.
The following is a sketch of a plain, honest man of affairs, who by correct
methods and a strict regard for the interests of his patrons has made his
influence felt in Bloomington and won for himself distinctive prestige in the
professional circles of that city. He would be the last man to sit for romance
or become the subject of fancy sketches, nevertheless Ins life ])resents much
that is interesting and valuable and may be studied with profit by the young,
whose careers are yet to be achieved. He is one of those whose integrity and
strength of character must force them into an admirable notoriety which their
modesty never seeks, who command tlie respect of their contemporaries and
their posterity and lea\e the im])ress of their ''ndividuality deeply stamped
upon the community.
Rufus H. East was l:)orn in Indian Creek townshi]). Monroe county,
Indiana, on November 30. 1867, and is the son of John R. and Matilda J.
(Binkley) East. The father was born in Monroe county, Indiana, in 1845,
and his wife was born in the state of Ohio in 1846. They became the parents
of five children, namely: George, deceased; Rufus H., the immediate subject
of this sketch; Martha A., who became the wife of Mr. A-'an Wie, of Indian-
apolis; Eva J., of Bloomington, and William C. deputy auditor of Monroe
5S2 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
county. John R. East was for many years a prominent, successful and well
known attorney at Bloomington, and in the latter's office the subject of this-
sketch practically grew up. He attended the public schools of Bloomington,
graduating from the high school, and upon the completion of his general
studies, he comnKMiced the study of law under the direction of his father,
being admitted to the Ijar in 1890. He entered immediately upon the active
practice of his profession, but one year later was appointed deputy county
clerk, in which position he served two years and at the end of that time he
was appointed postmaster of Bloomington. ser\'ing four years to the entire
satisfaction of his official superiors and the patrons of the office. Since his
retirement from the postmastership he has given his entire time to the practice
of law, occupying his father's old offices and has Ircen eminently successful, he
being now numbei-ed among the leaders of thei Monroe county bar. Being well
grounded in legal principles and having a large and comprehensive view of
life gained by experience and habits of keen observation, ]\Ir. East has forged
his way to the front and has been connected with many of the most important
cases tried in the local courts. As a speaker he is clear and concise and is
effective in presenting the issues of a case. In many respects he has inherited
the characteristics which commended his father to the confidence and good
will of tlie people, and through his pul)lic-spirited attitude towards the public
life of the comnnmity he has wnelded a wide influence. He gives his support
to everv movement which ])romises to advance the educational, moral or social
welfare of the jjeople and because of his upright character, eminent ability
and success in life he enjoys the respect of all wiio know him.
In 1886, Mr. East was married to Jennie R. Seward, the daughter of
Ro1)ert O. and ?\lary ( Voss ) Seward. The father was for half a century a
well known Ijlacksmith of Bloomington and now at the age of seventy-three
\ears, having retired from active labor, makes his home with the subject of
this sketch. To "Sir. and Mrs. East have been born three children: Allen J.,
who married Josephine Koontz, and who is now his father's stenographer;
lulwin S. and Mar}-, who are at home.
Politically, the subject has always voted with the Democratic party,
having decided convictions on the great (juestions which divide men and parties
and in campaigns he has been a frequent speaker in the interests of the Demo-
cratic platform. He is a man of large mental ability and by close study he
has l)ec(Mne w'ell (pialified to discuss the leading questions of the day. Per-
sonallv, he is genial and unassuming and makes friends easily. His circle of
ac(|uaintances throughout the county is large. A man of good habits and
kindlv impulses, he is deservedly popular in the community.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 583
SAMUEL BRAY.
The record of the gentleman whose name introckices this article contains
no exciting chapter of tragic events, but is replete with well defined purposes
which, carried to successful issue, have won for him an influential place in
business circles and high personal standing among his fellow citizens. His
life work has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the sj's-
tematic and honorable methods w-hich he has ever followed have resulted not
only in gaining the confidence of those with whom he has had dealings, but
also in the building up of a large and profitable business.
Samuel Bray was born about six miles west of Bloomington, Monroe
county, Indiana, on November 26. 1S54, and is the son of Nathan and Nancy
(Cannon) Bray. His father was a native of North Carolina, who, in 1812,
moved to the state of Kentucky, locating near Somerset. In 1833 he loaded
his household effects in wagons and came to ?\Ionroe county, Indiana, locating
on a farm, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his atten-
tion and in the operation of which he remained actively engaged up to the
time of his death. A quiet and unassuming man, he never aspired to public
office or distinction, but was numbered among the sturdy, reliable citizens of
his locality. His wife, who was a native of South Carolina, came to Law-
rence county, Indiana, in 1825, and she also is deceased. Nathan Bray was
twice married, ha\-ing by his first marriage six children, namely : ^lichager,
Littleberry, William, Elizabeth, Iradell and Catherine. The only survivor of
these children, William, who is now eighty-eight years old, was until within
the past few years pastor of the Christian church at Burnside, Illinois, being
now retired from active work. By his union with Nancy Cannon, Nathan
Bray became the father of eight children, namely : Thomas Xesljit, Martha
Ellen, David B., }*Iary Esther (deceased), John W., Salena, Samuel and Ira.
Samuel Brax is indebted to the common schools of Monroe county for
his educational training, but by much reading and close observation of men
and events he has become a well informed man. He has for a numlier of
years been following the business of contracting specializing in stone and
brick work, though he takes general contracts. Many of the largest, most
substantial and costliest buildings in this part of the state have been erected
by him and the quality of his work has always received the commendation of
the parties interested. Among the public buildings constructed by Mr. Bray
may be mentioned the First Baptist church, the Christian church, both in
Bloomington, and many fine residences both in city and country. He superin-
tended the construction of several of the State University buildings, and he
584 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
is at present building the Colored Baptist church in Bloomington. For about
twenty }ears before entering upon his present line of work. Mr. Bray engaged
in agricultural work and there imbibed those habits of industry and perse-
verance W'hich have characterized his labors during the subsequent years. A
competent workman himself, he has always insisted on the highest C|uality
of work on the part of liis employees and he absolutely will not permit inferior
work to enter nuo the liuildings constructed l^v him. This fact is well known
and is one of the elements which has contributed so largely to his success.
On April 17, 1884, Samuel Bray was married to Laura Pauley, the
daughter of James B. and Mary ( Wooley ) Pauley. Pier father, who is a
native of Monroe countv, was for manv vears a successful farmer here and
served one term as county commissioner. ]\Irs. Bray's mother was born near
Cincinnati, Ohio. To 'Mr. and Mrs. Bray have been born three children,
namely : Alina Pearl, deceased ; Francis and Grace.
Politicallv, ]\Ir. Bray was formerly a Republican, luit is now aligned with
the Progressive part\'. Religiouslv, he is a member of the Christian church.
A business man in the full sense of the term and making all other considera-
tions subordinate to the succe'^sful prosecution of his chosen vocation, Mr.
Bray is also pulilic spirited and full}' in touch with means and measures for
the advancement of liis cit\- and for the welfare of the people. Me is mindful
of the duties he owes to tlie community, discharges tlie same as becomes a
man of character and inlFience an.d as a citizen i^ fully abreast of the times,
having decided oijinions ami the courage of his con\ictions on all the leading
rpiestions of the da}-.
ROBFRT W. MIERS.
Standing out distinctly as one of the central figures of the bar of southern
Indiana is the name of Robert W. Miers, of Bloomington. Prominent in legal
circles and equally so in public matters beyond the confines of his own juris-
diction, with a reputation in one of the most exacting professions that has won
him a name for distinguished service second to that of none of his contem-
poraries, there is today no more prominent or honored man in the locality
which he has long dignified by his citizenship. Achieving success in the courts
at an age when most young men are just entering the formative period of
their lives, wearing the judicial ermine with becoming dignity and bringing
to everv case submitted to him a clearness of perception and ready power
of analvsis characteristic of the learned iurist, his name and work for vears
ROBERT MIERS
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 585
have been allied with the legal institutions, public enterprises and political
interests of the state in such a way as to earn him recognition as one of the
distinguished citizens in a community noted for the high order of its talent.
A high purpose and an unconquerable will, vigorous mental powers, diligent
study and devotion to duty are some of the means by which he has made
himself eminently useful, and every ambitious youth who fights the battle of
life with the prospect of ultimate success may peruse with profit the biography
herewith presented.
Robert W. Miers was born in Decatur county, Indiana, on the 27th day
of January, 1848, and is the son of Thomas S. and Mahala (Braden ) Miers.
These parents were both also natives of Decatur county, Indiana, the father
born in 1825 and the mother in 1829. Mrs. ]\lahala ]\Iiers is still living, at
the advanced age of eighty-four years, and makes her home with a brother
in her native county. To Thomas and Mahala Miers w ere born ten children,
all of whom are living except three who died in childhood.
The subject of this sketch received his preliminary education in the com-
mon schools of Decatur and for five or six seasons he was a student in Harts-
ville College. In 1867 he entered the State University and in 1870 graduated
from the literary department and from the law department in 1871. Immedi-
atelv after completing his studies he entered upon the active practice of his
profession and it is noteworthv that of all those who were admitted to the bar
with him he is the only survivor, having been engaged in the active j^ractice
for fortv-two consecutive years, and is now the senior memlier of the ^Monroe
countv bar. His record has been one of exalted character and he has been
honored in many ways by his fellow citizens. He was appointed judge of the
circuit court, serving two years, and then was elected to succeed himself, serv-
ing a full term of six A'ears, or a total service on the Iiench of eight years.
His record was one which reflected great credit upon his own ability and sound
judgment and honor to the county court over which he presided. From 1875
to 1879 Judge Miers rendered efficient service as prosecuting attorney, while
in the private practice of his profession he occupied a position second to none
of his contemporaries. He entered the bench well qualified for its exacting
duties and responsibilities and his judicial career was characterized by such a
profound knowledge of the law and an earnest and conscientious desire to
apply it impartially that he quickly gained the respect and confidence of the
attorneys and litigants and earned for himself an honorable reputation among
the leading jurists of his section of the state. He has always stood high in
his profession and as a practitioner at the bar he has been frequently retained
in important cases in the local court and in adjoining counties. He is always
586 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. .
the master of himself in the trial of cases and is rarely not at his best, being
frequently courteous and deferential to the court and kind and forbearing to
his opponents. As a speaker the Judge is direct, logical and forcible and not
infrequently truly eloquent. He is not only an able and reliable counsellor,
with a thorough acquaintance of the principles, intricacies and complexities of
jurisprudence, but his honesty is such that he has frequently advised against
long and expensive litigation, and this, too. often at the loss of liberal fees.
Throughout his entire professional and official career he has been animated by
lofty motives and made every personal consideration subordinate to the higher
claims of duty. Broad and liberal in his views, with the greatest good of his
fellow men e\er before him, !iis conduct has been that of the lover of his kind
and the true and loyal citizen, who is ready at all times to make any reason-
able sacrifice for the cause in which his interests are enlisted. He is withal
a man of the people, proud of his distinction as a citizen of a state and nation
for whose laws and institutions he has the most profound admiration and
respect, while his strong mentality, wise judgment and unimpeachable in-
tegrity demonstrate his ability to fill honorably important official positions
and to discharge worthily the duties of high trust. In point of critical legal
scholarship, keen intellectuality and professional success, he easily stands in
the front rank, while in all that constitutes the upright man, the public-spirited
citizen, his position in the social circle and the world of afifairs has been
firmly established and he stands today among the leaders of thought and the
molders of opinion in his community.
Politically, Judge Miers has ever been a stalwart supporter of the Demo-
cratic party and from 1896 until 1904 he was the able representative of this
congressional district to the United States Congress, where his record was
such as to reflect honor upon the constituency which elected him. He was
twice the nominee of his party for secretary of state, but each time met with
defeat. He was a representative in the State Legislature in 1879. From
1879 to 1891 Mr. Miers was a member of the board of trustees of Indiana
State University and to him in a large measure is due the splendid prosperity
which characterized that institution during the period in which he was con-
nected with it. Fraternally, Judge Miers is a member of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, while his social membership is with the college fra-
ternity. Beta Theta Pi.
On May 9, 1871, Robert W. Miers was married to Belle Ryors, the
daughter of Dr. Alfred Ryors, who, in an early clay, was president of Indiana
State University, prior to which time he bad been jjresident of Danville Col-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 587
lege, Kentucky. He has been dead for many years. To Mr. and Mrs. Miers
have been born two children, Bertha, the wife of Oscar Cravens, and Daniel
Kirkwood, a stone commission merchant in Chicago, who married Blanche
Wicks. The family home is at No. 624 East Third street, Bloomington, a
popular gathering place for the Judge's many friends, who always find him
an entertaining companion and interesting and instructive conversationalist.
PHILIP BUSKIRK HILL.
There is notliing which stimulates a man to deeds of worth and a life of
uprightness and rectitude more than the recollection of the strength of char-
acter and examples of right lixing which have been shown by his forbears. In
this respect Mr. Hill is fortunate beyond the majority of men in being de-
scended from a lint- of men who have been in their communities men of
strength and influence, doing their dutv well, whether in the peaceful pursuits
of ordinary life or in positions of public trust. A heritage of such memory
of the li\'es of one's forefathers is of more value than a heritage of material
wealth. In the business affairs of Bloomington the subject of this sketch
occupies a position of importance and among those who are today conserving
the commercial and industrial prosperity of this community none occupy a
higher standing among their associates than he whose name appears at the
head of this sketch.
Philip B. Hill was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on July 29, 1882, and
is a son of the late Nat l\ and Anna ( Buskirk ) Hill. Specific reference is
made elsewhere in this work to the life and character of Nat U. Hill, Sr.,
therefore it is deemed unnecessary to refer further to him in this connection.
The subject of this sketcli received his elementary education in the public
schools of Bloomington, in which he made excellent progress, going then to
the Culver Military Academy, where he spent two years. From there he went
to the Indiana State Lhiiversity, where he was in-aduated in 1908, and then
took up the stud}' of law, graduating from the Indiana Law School. During
the following year Mr. Hill was engaged in the insurance business, but at the
end of that time he became identified wath the stone industry in the capac-
ity of superintendent for the Empire Stone Company, having personal charge
of all the operations of this company. He has ably performed the duties of
his important position, much of the splendid success which has characterized
this company being due directly to his indomitable energies, sound judgment
and faithful performance of his duty.
505 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
On November 28, 19 12, Mr. Hill married Sally Duncan, the daughter of
Judge Henry Clay Duncan, who is referred to elsewhere in this work.
Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is a member of the Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, and in his daily life he endeavors to exemplify the sublime
precepts of this time-honored order. Socially, he is a member of the Phi
Kappa Phi college fraternity. Politically, he gives his support to the Repub-
lican party. He has been keenly alive to every phase of life with which he
has come in contact and takes an interest in everything pertaining to the popu-
lar welfare. \\'hile at the university ]Mr. Hill took a deep interest in athletics,
in which he excelled, and during the years IQ08-0-TO-11-13 he acted as assist-
ant coach for the Indiana University football team, his ability in this regard
Ijeing held in high esteem. Personally, yir. PI ill -s a man whom it is a pleasure
to meet, being geni;d, unassuming, straightforward and a man whom to know
is to trust and respect.
HERMAN v. GRANT.
The gentleman to a review of whose life the reader's attention is here
respectfulp- directetl is recognized as one of the energetic, well known busi-
ness men of Monroe county, who liy h.is enterprise and progressive methods
has contributed in a material wav to the commercial advancement of the local-
itv where he lives. In the course of an honorable career he has been successful
in the manifold lines to which his efforts have been directed and, enjoying dis-
tinctive prestige among the representative men of his community, it is emi-
nently proper that attention be called to his achievements and due credit be
accorded to his worth as an enterprising citizen.
Herman U. Grant, who conducts a well stocked store and commands a
liberal patronage and is one of the progressive merchants of Ellettsville, Mon-
roe county, Indiana, was born on October 8, 1866, in Owen county, Indiana,
and is the son of John and Julia .\. (Funis) Grant. The father was born in
Kent county, Maryland, on March i, 1825, and died on February 6, igoo. His
wife, also born in Maryland, in Worcester county, first saw the light of day
on March 26, 1826, and her death occurred on .Vugust 16, 1910. They were
married in their native state on October 28, 1843. John Grant first learned
the trade of a boiler maker, which he followed in his native state, but after
coming to ( )wen county he followed agricultural pursuits, and also operated
a saw-mill, in both of which he was successful. They were the parents of ten
children, namely: William H., George W., Augusta. Laura A., Anna L., John,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 589
James W., Charles E., Mary E. and Herman U., all of whom are deceased
excepting Augusta, James W., Charles E. and Herman.
The subject of this sketch was reared under the parental roof and secured
his education in the common schools of Owen county. Upon attaining mature
years he went to Decatur and to Bloomington, Illinois, where he entered rail-
road employ, being connected with railroads running out of those cities for
eleven years and performing his duties to the entire satisfaction of his supe-
riors. In April, 1893, when he moved to Ellettsville, Indiana, he engaged in
the grocery business in company with his brother Charles, under the firm name
of Grant Brothers, and together they successfully operated until 1898, when
Herman bought out his brother's interest and continued the business until
1908. He then sold out and engaged in the real estate and insurance business,
with which he was actively identified until November 4. 1909, when he opened
a dry goods store, which he is still conducting and which is one of the most
popular and successful enterprises of the kind in this section of the county.
Mr. Grant carries a large and well selected stock of dry goods and kindred
lines, catering to the trade and, by his courtesy and evident desire to please
his customers, attracting a large patronage from the surrounding country. In
August, 191 3, Mr. Grant moved to Bloomington, where he now resides and
expects to close out his business interests in Ellettsville.
On June 28, 1893, Mr. Grant married Sarah A. Andrews, the daughter
of Thomas and ]\Iary Andrews. Her father, a native of England, came to
the United States at the age of eleven years with his parents and here married
his wife, who was a nati\'e of Ohio. Mr. Grant met his future wife and was
married at Cuyuga, Livingston county, Illinois. They are the parents of two
children, De Loss A., born April 13, 1896, and Vera Evelyn, born March 11,
1905.
Politically, Mr. Grant is a Republican, but has been too busy a man to
devote much attention to pu])lic affairs, though he did consent to allow his
name to be presented for the office of city treasurer, to which he was elected
and in which he rendered valuable service for his fellow citizens. He also
served as a member of the school board. Fraternally, he is a member of the
Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the
Knights of Pythias. In the Masonic order he has attained to the degrees of
the Royal Arch chapter, belonging to that body at Bloomington. In the Pyth-
ian order he has received distinctive preferment, being a member of the board
of trustees of the grand lodge. Religiously, he is identified with the Methodist
Episcopal church, to w'hich he gives an earnest support, and in the civic life
of the community he has been a potent factor for the development of the best
590 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
interests of the people. He is a man of pleasing address and easily makes
friends, whom he always retains. Because of his upright character, marked
ability and pleasing disposition he is numbered among the most popular resi-
dents of Ellettsville.
CANAAN WILLIAMS.
Not alone are those worthy of biographic honors who have moved along
the loftier planes of action, but to an equal extent are those deserving who
are of the rank and file of the world's workers, for they are not less the con-
servators of public prosperity and material advancement. Through all the
gradations of life, recognition should be had of the true values, and then should
full appreciation be manifested, for there can be no impropriety, if it be done
justly, in scanning the acts of any man as they affect his public, social and
business relations. In the collection of material for the biographical de-
partment of this publication there has been a constant aim to use a wise dis-
crimination in regard to the selection of subjects and to exclude none worthy
of representation in its pages. Here will be found mention of worthy citizens
of all vocations, and at this juncture we are permitted to offer a resume of
the career of one of the substantial and highly esteemed representatives of the
agricultural interests of Lawrence county, where he has spent his entire life
and where he has not only attained a high degree of success in his chosen
field of labor and enterprise, but also established an imperishable reputation
for uprightness in all the relations of life.
Canaan \A'illiams was born near the town of Williams, in Indian Creek
township, Lawrence county. Indiana, on October 31, 1836, and is the son of
Richard Williams, one of Lawrence county's old and honored citizens, who
was born in the state of Tennessee on October 16, 1806. In his early boy-
hood Richard Williams came to Lawrence county, Indiana, and was here
educated in the district schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer and
never forsook this l.)asic industry, in which he met with well deserved suc-
cess. Politically, he was in his early years an active Democrat, but subse-
([uently allied himself with the Republican party, of which he was ever after-
ward a staunch supporter. His death occurred near Williams, Spice Valley
township, where his wife also died. They were prominent members of the
Church of Christ and were active in all good works. These parents had
eleven children, namely: Ascina, Ahiman, C. Perry, Canaan, Susan, Ma-
hala, Rebecca, Cornelia, Tilghman H., Oliva and William M.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 59I
The subject of this sketch spent his early years on the old homestead and
received his education in the district schools and the public schools at Bed-
ford. He has devoted his mature years to agricultural pursuits, in which he
has met with the success commensurate with his efforts. He is practical and
methodical in his lal^ors, giving his personal attention to every detail of his
farm work, with the result that he has an enviable standing in the community
because of his ability and success in his chosen vocation. In addition to the
raising of grain, he also gives some attention to the breeding and raising of
live stock, which he has found a profitable branch of farming. The farm is
well improved in every respect, the substantial and attractive residence, com-
modious and well arranged barns and well-kept fences all giving evidence of
the wise discrimination and excellent taste of the owner.
Mr. \\'illiams has ])een twice married, first on February 20, 1863, to
Elizabeth Jane Hastings, who was born on August 5, 1844, in Spice Valley
township, Lawrence county, Indiana, and died on December 13, 1871. To
this union were born four children, namely : Mary Ellen, born December
28, 1863, became the wife of Tilghman H. McDermed on November 28, 1888,
and both met death by drowning on December 10, 1889; John E., who was
born on June 2, 1866, married Alice Underwood on Novemlier 14, 1894;
Carry, born June 12, 1869, was married on Noveml^er 4, 1891, to Sylvester
A. McClung; Elizabeth J., born November 17, 1871, became the wife of Sam-
uel O. McClung on December 31, 1S90. and her death occurred on December
3, 1891. On April 4, 1875, Air. Williams married [Miranda Mosier, who was
born on March 10, 1849, i"'^^'^'' Owensburg, Martin county, Indiana, and who
was one of the following children: Elizabeth, born August 19, 1825, died
November 28, i860; Jeremiah, born December 3, 1827. died June 20, 1896;
Sallie, bom August 5, 1829, died January 19, 1875; Joyce, born [March 30,
1831, died May 26, 1903; Adam, born December 20, 1832, died October 7,
1834; Elmina, born January 4, 1835, died January 2, 1882; Ephraim, born
January 29, 1838, died June 16, 1889; Cyrus, born September 23, 1839, died
January 22, 1840; Martha, born August 24, 1841, died September 6, 1878;
Benton, born June 21, 1843, died January 11. 1870: Noah, born June 2, 1845 '<-
Miranda, Mrs. Williams, was the next in order of birth : Louisa, born Septem-
ber 3, 1851, died March 11, 1910.
Politically, the subject of this sketch gives an ardent support to the Re-
publican party, to which he gives that interest which all intelligent citizens
shguld give to public affairs, though he is not in any sense a seeker after pub-
lic office. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Port William
Church of Christ, to which they give a liberal support. Mr. Williams has been
592 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
very successful iu the accumulation of material wealth, being the owner of
five hundred eighty acres of land in Spice Valley township, of which two
hundred acres are in cultivatitjn, the remainder ])eing in pasture and timber.
He has been successful in winning the confidence and esteem of the entire
community in which lie has resided for so many years, being now numbered
among the enterprising and progressive agriculturists of his locality. Genial
and unassuming in manner, he easily wins friends and always retains them,
and because of his high personal qualities and business success, he is eminently
entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one at hand.
IRA C. BATMAN.
The life of a professional man seldom exhibits any of those striking
incidents that seize upon public feeling and attract attention to himself. His
character is generally made up of the aggregate qualities and qualifications
he may possess, as these may be elicited by the exercise of the duties of his
vocation or the particular profession to which he belongs. But when such a
man has so impressed his individuality upon his fellow men as to gain their
confidence and through that confidence be enabled to advance to the front rank
in his profession, he at once becomes a conspicuous figure in the body politic
of the community and the state. The subject of this review is one of the
scholarly men of his county, who, not content to hide his talents amid life's
sequestered ways, has, by the force of will and a laudable ambition, forged
to the front in a responsible and exacting calling and earned an honorable
reputation as a leader of the legal fraternity in Monroe county. His life has
been one of hard study and research from his youth and, since maturity, of
laborious professional duty, and the high position to which he has attained
is evidence that the qualities which he possesses afford the means of distinc-
tion under a system of government in which places of usefulness are open to
all who be worthy of them.
Ira C. Batman, who for a number of years has been numbered among
the leading attorneys and progressive citizens of Monroe county, Indiana,
was born in Lawrence county, this state, on January 20, 1862, and is the son
of Henry H. and Catherine (Bailey) Batman, both of whom were natives of
Lawrence county. The subject's paternal grandfather, James Batman, was a
tanner by trade, being located at Bono, Lawrence county. His son, the sub-
ject's father, was a farmer and stock dealer, and did an extensive and sue-
(^/^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 593
cessful business, buying and shipping large numbers of cattle and hogs. To
him and his wife were born five children, briefly mentioned as follows: Ira
C, the immediate subject of this sketch; Olive, who became the wife of Dr.
James B. Duncan, of Bedford; Levi G.. a successful preacher at Youngstown,
Ohio; James W., of Mitchell, Indiana; Dr. F. H., of Bloomington. Henry
H. Batman was a Republican in his political belief and took an active and
influential part in local political campaigns. Fraternally, he was a member
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while his religious meml^ership
was with the Christian church.
Ira C. Batman received liis preliminary education in the common schools
of his home county, and then took the preparatory course in the State Uni-
versity, where he was graduated in 1885. He then engaged in teaching
school at Columbia City, for one year, at the end of which time he entered
upon the study of law in the office of Buskirk & Duncan, at Bloomington.
A year later he went to Grant, Nebraska, but in 1888 he returned to Bloom-
ington and formed a law partnership with Henry C. Duncan, under the firm
name of Duncan & Batman. This firm was very successful and was continued
until the death of Mr. Duncan, which occurred in 1911. Subsequently Mr.
Batman entered into a partnership with Robert G. Miller and James W.
Blair, under the name of Batman, Miller & Blair, which is now numbered
among the leading law firms of this section of the state, commanding a large
and representative clientage. Mr. Batman has been connected with most of
the important litigation w^hich has been tried in the local court for a number
of years and is considered a sound and safe practitioner, being well versed
in the law and a very successful pleader. For thirteen years Mr. Batman
served as attorney for the city of Bloomington and w^as countv attorney for
two years. In 1905 he was elected on the Republican ticket a member of
the Legislature, and in 191 1 he was elected a member of the board of trustees
of Indiana University, in which he is still serving. As a public speaker yir.
Batman is widely and favorably known, having done much effective cam-
paign work and has also delivered many addresses here and elsewhere through .
the state on various secular topics.
Aside from his professional connections, Mr. Batman is also interested
in commercial and financial enterprises of local importance, being the vice-
president and a director of the First National Bank of Bloomington and a
director of the Citizens Loan and Trust Company, of this cit}', of which he
was one of the organizers. In the civic affairs of the community he is deeply
interested and every movement tending to the advancement of the citv's inter-
^38)
594 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ests receives his hearty endorsement and support. Fraternally, he is a member
of the Order of Elks.
In 1888 Ira C. Batman was united in marriage with ]\Iary T. Waldron,
the daughter of John and Anna (Bonacum) AValdron, and to this union has
been born one child, Emma L. Personally, Mr. Batman is genial and com-
panionable, enjoys a wide acquaintance throughout this section of the state,
and is a popular member of the circles in which he moves.
T. B. AMLSON.
The name Wilson has Icmg been connected with the development and
progress (^f Indiana and the name has been Ijorne by a number of men who
have reflected credit upon tlic state and upon their respecti\'e communities. It
is a well-attested maxim that the greatness of a country lies not in the machin-
ery of government nor even in its institutions, l:)Ut rather in the sterling" quali-
ties of the indixidual citizen, in his capacity for liigh and unselfish effort and
his de\'()tion to the public welfare. Among the citizens of Monroe countv
who ha\e not only won success and honor for themselves in their specific line
of eft'ort, Init who have conferred honor on their community, is he whose
name a])pears at the head of this sketcli, and who is now filling with distinction
the position of jutlge of the judicial circuit to wliich ]\lonroe county belongs.
He is a master in his profession, a leader amout;- men distinguished for the
high order of their legal ability, and his eminent attainments and ripe judg-
ment have made him an authority in all matters involving a profound knowl-
edge of jurisprudence and \exed and intricate problems of equity.
J. B. AA'ilson is a scion of sterling old Scotch ancestors, his paternal
great-grandfather having been a native of the land of hills and heather. The
grandfather. James Wilson, was a native of Virginia, while his son, John
W^esley Wilson, father of the subject, was born in Lincoln county, North
Carolina, on September 1 1. 1826 He married Jane Maners, who was born in
Tennessee on September i, 1837. John W'esley Wilson, when eight years
old, came with his father to Indiana and located in Owen county, where they
established and improved, a fine farm near Spencer, on which three successive
generations of the family w ere reared. There John W. Wilson spent his life,
devoting his efforts to agricultural pursuits, and there his death occurred in
December. iSgr. His widow is still living and makes her home with a daugh-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 595
ter at Danville. Indiana. She bore her husband nine children, eight ot whom
are still living.
J. B. Wilson was born on the old homestead near Spencer on February
22, 1859. and he secured his elementary education in the public schools of
Spencer, including the high school. Then for a time he engaged in teaching
school and was otherwise employed until he became a student in the State
Uni\ersity at Bloomington, where he specialized in law, graduating in June,
1892. 'Sir. A\^ilson at once came to Bloomington and engaged in the active
practice of his profession and it was not long until he had firmly established
himself in the confidence and regard of the community, for he demonstrated
the possession of ability of a high order, which was reinforced by an energy
and a persistency that brooked no obstacle and which soon had given him a
standing among the leading members of the ^Monroe county bar. In 1902 Mr.
Wilson was elected judge of the circuit court and so eminently satisfactory
were his services on the bench that at the end I'f his first term he was re-
elected to succeed himself and is the present occupant of that exalted position.
A lawyer of acknowledged ability, a jurist of the highest t\'pe and a man of
integrity and honor, he has made a lasting im])ression upon the history of his
community, which has been dignified l)y his life and achie\ements. Not only
in the judiciarv has Judge Wilson been accorded evidences of popular confi-
dence and regard, but also in other directions, while he has ever ordered his
course according to the highest principles and ideals, so that he has been found
true to himself and to all men.
Politically, Judge W'ilson has given a lifelong support to the Republican
party and has taken a broad interest in public affairs. Fraternally, he is a
member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Judge \\'ilson has been twice married, first, in 1884, to Ona Stephenson,
the daughter of M. C. and Isaljel ( Armantrout^ Stephenson, both of whom
are natives of Owen county and now residing at W'orthington. where Mr.
Stephenson followed the mercantile business. To Judge Wilson and wife were'
born two sons, namely : Fred ]\I., who is engaged in the coal business at Bloom-
ington, and Charles, who is a student in an art school in Chicago. Mrs. Ona
Wilson died on June 7, 1910. and subsec]uently the Judge married Maude E.
Showers, the daughter of Rufus Coatney Showers. The Judge's comfortable
and attractive home is located at No. 408 East Eighth street, Bloomington,
near the State University grounds.
596 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
DRS. WALTER W. AND OLIVER K. HARRIS.
Among those men of sterling" attributes of character who have impressed
their personahty upon the community of their residence and have borne their
full share in the upbuilding and development of Monroe county, mention must
not be omitted of Drs. Walter W. and Oliver K. Harris, of Ellettsville, where
they have long maintained their home and where they have exerted a strong
influence for good on the entire community, being men of upright principles
and desirous to see the advancement of the community along moral, educa-
tional and material lines. Professionally, they are men of recognized ability,
who have in their chosen sphere of effort met with a large degree of success,
winning the commendation and the confidence of all who have knowledge of
them and their life work.
The Doctors Harris are both natives of Monroe county, Indiana, Walter
William having been born on November 27, 1865. and Oliver K. on February
27, 1871. They are the sons of Rice C. and Mary J- (Knighten) Harris.
Rice C. Harris was born in Owen county, Indiana, his parents having been
natives of Lexington, Kentucky, who came to Owen countv in a very early
day. The great-grandfather of the subjects of this sketch, Thomas Harris,
and a man by the name of Robert Overstreet, built a fort at Lexington, Ken-
tucky, where 'Slv. Harris settled in 1740. Subs.^quently he traded the entire
tract where the city of Lexington now stands for a body of land near Nicholas-
ville, Kentucky, in order to be located nearer better fishing. To Rice and
Mary Harris were liorn the following children: ^Margaret, Lovell, Rurah.
Thomas B., Racey A\'., AA'alter A\'., Homer, Oliver K., and Elizabeth A., of
whom the first three and the seventh and eighth in order of birth are deceased.
The father of these children was for forty years a successful and well known
physician at Elletts\ ille, lieing numbered among the early professional men
of that community, and to a notable extent he commanded the confidence and
regard of all who knew him. He and his wife are both now deceased.
Walter and ()li\er Harris recei\ed good, practical common school edu-
cations and then. ha\ing decided to make the practice of medicine their life
work, they matriculated in tlie Louisville Aledical College, where in due time
they were graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. They imme-
diately returned to Ellettsville, where they took up their father's practice and
are both still actively engaged in professional work. Natural ability, thorough
professional training and a devotion for and enthusiasm in their work have
been elements which have contributed to the splendid success which has char-
acterized their work. Thev have successfullv b.andled manv difficult cases
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 597
and are held in liigh regard among their professional colleagues in Monroe
county.
In 1 89 1 Walter W. Harris was married to Cora Matthews, the daughter
of William N. and Addie (Johnson) Matthews, a prominent old family of
JVIonroe county residing at Bedford. To this union was born one child, Faye
D. Walter W. Harris is an appreciative member of the Free and Accepted
Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while, religiously, he is
a faithful member of the Baptist church. His political views are in harmony
with the platform of the Republican party, in which he takes a deep interest,
though never a seeker after public office.
Oliver K. Harris was married in 1896 to Winnie E. Sharp, the daughter
of Francis M. and Lydia (Whaley) Sharp, a prominent old family of Mon-
roe county. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris have been born two children, Lucile
and Knighten. Dr. Olixer K. Harris has always given the Republican party
his earnest support and was nominated and elected on that ticket as coroner
of Monroe county, discharging the duties of this position to the entire satis-
faction of all concerned. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted
Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of
Red Men, while his religious belief is embodied in the creed of the Methodist
church, to which he gives faithful and earnest support. The Doctors Harris
have by lives of earnest effort, controlled by right principles, gained for them-
selves not only a large degree of professional success in the community where
they have spent practically their entire lives, but have won that which is of
far greater value, the earnest commendation of all who know them. They are
genial and companionable gentlemen, easily make friends and throughout
Monroe county they enjoy a large and favorable acquaintance.
JOHN S. BROWN.
It is an agreeable task for the biographer, and pleasant and profitable for
the reader, to contemplate the record of a person who has made a success of
life and won the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens. Such is the
record, briefly stated, of the well known liveryman of Ellettsville, Monroe
county, whose name appears above, than whom a more highly respected or
popular man it would be difficult to find within the limits of the locality where
he has his home and where he has long been held in the highest esteem by a
large circle of friends and admirers.
John S. Brown, who for nearly a quarter of a century, has been one of
598 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the best known liverymen in Monroe county, having a well equipped stable
at Ellettsville, is a native of the county in which he now lives, and was born on
March 4, 1856, being the son of Andrew J. and Rachel (Ashburt) Brown.
Andrew J. Brown was a native of Indiana, his parents having come to this
state from Kentucky, where his father was born, his mother being a native of
Owen county, Maryland. Andrew J. Brown followed farming during prac-
tically his entire life and was successful in the acquisition of material wealth
and in the attainment of the coniidence of his fellow citizens. During the
Civil war he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volun-
teer Infantrv. in which he rendered valiant service for three years and three
months, participating in all the battles, skirmishes and campaigns in which his
regiment took a part and at the end of his service he received an honorable
discharge. Returning to his home farm, he devoted the rest of his life to its
culti\ation and died with the respect and esteem of all who knew him. To
him and his wife were born four children, of whom the subject of this sketch
was the first in order of birth, the others being Richard W., deceased; Thomas
F., and Ftta, deceased.
The subject of this sketch received a good education in the common
schools at Ellettsville and was reared to the life of a farmer, which vocation
he followed for some years and then entered the employ of the Standard Oil
Company. Six years later he left the employ of that company and engaged in
the livery business at Ellettsville, in which for twenty-three years he has been
a prominent figure in the business life of the community. He carries a large
number of good horses, all the \-ehicles necessary for the accommodation of
his patrons, and by his prompt and courteous attention to business and his
high character he has received and retained the confidence and good will of
all who have had dealings with him.
Mr. Brown was married on July 4, 1879, to Mary A. Adams, the daugh-
ter of Calvin and Margaret (Smith) Adams, who were early settlers of Mon-
roe county, the Adams family being numbered among the first families here
and who have always lieen identified with the agricultural interests of the
county. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born four children, Arthur G.,
Ernest B., l-loyd C. and Felix.
Fraternally, the Free and Accepted Masons and Knights of Pythias claim
Mr. Brown's membership, while, politically, he is affiliated with the Republican
party. Though never a seeker after public oftice. he has served as a member
of the city council for some time to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens.
Religiously, he subscribes to the creed of the Presbyterian church, and in the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 599
moral and civic life of the community he has been an important factor for
good, his influence ever being exerted for those things which tend to elevate
and uplift his fellow men. He takes broad and intelligent views of men and
affairs and aims to get all the satisfaction and enjoyment out of life there is
in it, to which end he has been a close obsen'er anrl diligent student of current
affairs and of the many wonderful things embraced in the life of the world,
of wiiich he is fully appreciative, and among those who knew him best he is
most appreciated, for he possesses to a marked degree those qualities which
commend one to the good will and friendship of others.
DR. C. E. HARRIS.
Professional success results from merit. Frequently in commercial life
one may come into possession of a lucrative business through inheritance or
gift, but in what are known as the learned professions advancement is gained
only through painstaking and long-continued effort. Prestige in the healing
art is the outcome of strong mentality, close application, thorough mastery of
its great underlying principles and the ability to apply theory to practice in
the treatment of diseases. Good intellectual training, thorough professional
knowledge and the possession and utilization of the qualities and attributes
essential to success have made the subject of this review eminent in his chosen,
calling and he stands today among the scholarly and enterprising physicians
in a county noted for the high order of its medical talent.
Dr. C. E. Harris is a native of the old Blue Grass state, having been
born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, on July 12, 1876, and is the son of Dr.
John E. and Catherine (Laws) Harris. John E. Harris, who was for many
years a prominent and successful physician of the old school, was prominent
in professional circles of Monroe county for many years, residing at Bloom-
ington, where his death occurred in 1908. He was a man of high personal
character, strong intellectual endowments, and during the years of his resi-
dence here he enjoyed a notable popularity throughout the community.
The subject of this sketch received a good practical common school edu-
cation, which was supplemented by attendance in the State University. He
then matriculated in the Louisville Medical College, where he graduated in
March, 1897, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then entered actively
upon the general practice of medicine at Bloomington until 1901, when he
600 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
took a post-graduate course in surgery in the Chicago Polyclinic School, since
which time he has specialized in surgery. In this branch of medical science
he is fully qualified for the practice and he has been uniformly successful,
having handled some \ery difficult cases ]>oth here and in neighboring coun-
ties. Ilis al>ility is widely recognized and he ha*^ been frequently called into
consultation Ijy his professional colleagues, who have appreciated his attain-
ments as a physician and surgeon. His office and residence are located at No.
213 South College avenue, and here he has an up-to-date and well equipped
office, being especially prepared fur all cases that may be brought to him.
Doctor Harris is president of the city board of health, and is also county
coroner. He is surgeon for the Monon Railroad Company, and is president
of the ]\lonon Railway Association of Surgeons He is a member of the
Monroe County 3iledical Society^ the Indiana State Medical Society and the
American ^Medical Association, many of the meetings of which he has at-
tended and in which he takes an intelligent interest. In addition to his cred-
itable career in one of the most useful and exacting of professions, the Doctor
has also proved an honorable mem]>er of the body politic, rising in the con-
fidence and esteem of the public and in every relation of life he has never
fallen l)elow the dignity of true manhood, nor in any way resorted to methods
that have invited criticism or censure. As a citizen he easilv ranks among the
most influential of his compeers looking toward the betterment of his city
and county.
In 1897 Doctor Harris was married to Frances \Miiteley. the daughter of
William H. and ]\Iary C. Whiteley, of Cambridge City, Wayne county, Indi-
ana. The father, who was a successful farmer, is now deceased, and his \vidow
now makes her home with Doctor and Mrs. Harris. To the latter have been
born two children, Robert E. and John F.
Politically, the subject of this sketch gives a staunch support to the Dem-
ocratic ])arty, though his professional duties preclude his taking a very active
part in political affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Ac-
cepted ]\Iasons. the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal
Order of Eagles, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Modern Woodmen of Amer-
ica and the Court of Honor, in all of which he is held in high regard. Per-
sonally, Doctor Harris is affable and popular with all classes, and by a life
consistent in motive and because of his many fine qualities of head and heart
he has earned the sincere regard of a vast acquaintance, while his success in his
chosen field of endeavor bespeaks for him the possession of superior attributes,
yet he is a plain, unassuming gentleman, straightforward in all his relations
with his fellow men.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 60I
WILLIAM H. MEDARIS.
The subject of this sketch is one of those strong, self-reHant and deter-
mined characters who are occasionally met with and who are of such a distinct
type as to seem to l)e born leaders of their fellow men. Not that Mr. Medaris
courts that distinction, for he is entirely unassuming, but his great force of
character and his zeal and energy in whatever he undertakes naturally places
him at the head of the crowd and he has been a potent factor in the develop-
ment of Lawrence county, where he has long maintained his home and where
he is well known to all classes for his honorable and industrious life, in both
private and public.
William H. Medaris was born in Owen county, Indiana, and is a son of
Stephen and Millie (Coble) ]\Iedaris, the former a native of Guilford county.
North Carolina, and the mother a native of South Carolina. The father's
death occurred in 1898, and the mother's in 1880. They were the parents of
nine children, three sons and six daughters, namely : James H., who is a
successful doctor in Helena, Alfalfa county, Oklahoma; Sarah Katherine mar-
ried a Mr. Speer and is living in Oklahoma ; Mrs. Minerva Jane Williams,
deceased ; Mary and Martha were twins. Mary married a Mr. Perkins and
lives in Indianapolis, while ]\Iartha married a ]\Ir. Layman and lives in
Marion, Indiana; Mrs. Louisa McCormick, of Oklahoma; Ada Ella is the wife
of Dr. \\' . H. Rice, of Spencer, Indiana ; Stephen was a farmer in Owen
county, Indiana, and the father of the subject of this sketch. The subject's
father was married the second time in 1882 to Amanda Long, to which union
were born three children: Mrs. Delia Naaus, of Owen county, Indiana; Mrs.
Effie Brown, of Indianapolis, and Miss Dossie, also of Indianapolis.
William H. Medaris received his educatioii in the common schools of
Owen county and after completing his education lie engaged in teaching school
for five years and also taught music for several years with splendid success in
both departments. Since then he has devoted his attention unremittingly to
agricultural pursuits and is now the owner of one hundred acres of fine land
in Marshall township, to the improvement and cultivation of which he is giving
his attention. Besides farming, he also runs a dairy, supplying milk products
to a large line of patrons in Bedford. His place is well improved and in all
efforts he has made he has been characterized by strict attention to his business
affairs and shrewd judgment in the management of his interests.
At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Medaris married Ruth Temperance
Melick, their marriage occurring in 1869. Mrs Medaris died on May 10,
1897, and on September 6, 1899, Mr. Medaris married Carrie B. Knight, who
602 ' LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
is proving to him a de\-oted helpmeet in the fulle'^t sense of the term. To the
subject's first union were born the following children : Mrs. Minne Belle Ooley,
of Owen county, Indiana: Charles K., a farmer in Lawrence county; Mrs.
Lizzie Annie Yocum, of Daviess county, Indiana: Steven Curtis, deceased;
Martin Luther, a farmer in Lawrence county: Thomas E. is an engineer in
the Eli Lilly medicine factory at Indianapolis : Martha E., deceased : Jesse Roy
is a conductor on the street railway in San Francisco, California.
Religiously, Mr. Medaris is a member of the Christian church, in the
advancement and prosperity of which he is deeply interested, while, frater-
nally, he belongs to Lodge No. 514, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at
Freedom, Owen county, Indiana. Mr. Medaris is regarded by all as being
one of the foremost citizens of his section of the county, having established
a firm reputation for honesty of purpose in all his dealings with his fellow
men, and by being the advocate of clean and wholesome principles in the home,
society and politics. Because of his excellent character and splendid business
ability, he has earned and enjoys the sincere respect of all who know him.
SHERMAN L. REACH.
It is a well authenticated fact that success comes as the result of legitimate
and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in a
course of action when once decided upon. She is never know^n to smile upon
the idler or dreamer and she never courts the loafer, and only the men who
have diligently sought her favor are crowned with her blessings. In tracing
the history of the influential citizen of Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana,
whose name forms the caption of this review, it is plainly seen that the suc-
cess which he enjoys has been won by commendable qualities and it is also
his personal worth that has gained for him the high esteem of those who
know him.
Sherman L. Reach, the efficient and popular postmaster at Bedford,
Lawrence county, Indiana, was born on September 28, 1864, in Floyd county,
this state, about five miles from New Albany, and is the son of William H.
and Elizal)eth (Moreland) Reach, the father a native of Rentucky and the
mother of West Virginia. William H. Reach was a farmer and trader, and
his death occurred in New Albany about fifteen years ago, his widow surviv-
ing him several years and dying about eight years ago. They were the par-
ents of seven children, namelv : Lafavette S., of Floyd county, Indiana; Mrs.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 603
Laura C. Mathers, of Bloomington, Indiana: Cliarles S., of Floyd's Knobs,
Indiana; A\'illiani A., deceased: ]\Irs. Alice L. Sarles, of New Albany, Indi-
ana; Sherman L., the subject of this sketch; Har'/v E., of Brookston, Indiana.
The subject's paternal grandfather Keach was a pioneer minister of the Meth-
odist church, riding the long and oftimes tires(ime circuit through eastern
Kentucky and Virginia. jMr. Keach's great-grandfather, Jordan, on the ma-
ternal side, was one of the fifteen survivors of the Chicago massacre.
Sherman L. Keach received his elementarv education in the public schools
at New Albany and in boyhood was employed for about four years in a lum-
ber yard at that place. He took a course in the New Albany Business College,
from which he graduated, and then took up the study of telegraphy, after
which he accepted employment with the ]\Ionon railroad. He was with this
company for three years, two years of this time at New Albany, but prior to
this was employed at different times on all the divisions of the road but one.
For a time he was in the employ of various railroads in the West, South and
Southwest and in old Mexico. Returning to New Albany, he entered the serv-
ice of the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas road, afterw'ard becoming an em-
ploye of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern road, and for four years was in
the freight of^ce at Louisville, coming to Bedford as their local agent in 1894.
and remaining here in that capacity for ten years. For about one year he was
in the employ of Perry, Matthews & Buskirk Stone Company, now known as
the Indiana Quarries Company, of Bedford, and then served as chief clerk in
the local freight ofifice of the Southern Indiana railroad for about the same
length of time, from whence he returned to the Baltimore & Ohio South-
western. He was a faithful employe of all the companies for whom he worked
and at all times enjoyed the fullest measure of confidence and regard among
his superiors. Mr. Keach was prominent in local public affairs and in 1904
served as county chairman of the Republican central committee of Lawrence
county, rendering eftncient and efi^ective service in behalf of the party that
year. On January 29, 1906, he received from President Roosevelt a com-
mission as postmaster at Bedford and in 1910 was reappointed by President
Taft, his commission running until 1914. He lias given to the discharge of
his duties as postmaster the same careful attention that characterized him in
all his other employment and his administration has been satisfactory, both
to the department and to the patrons of the office. Mr. Keach is a director
in the Stone City Bank and a director and secretary of the new Home Sav-
ings and Loan x\ssociation, of Bedford. He is a good business man, his
judgment and sagacity being held in high value by his business associates. In
the broadest sense of the phrase, he is a self-made man and is entitled to a
6G4 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA,
large measure of credit for the success which he has gained in the affairs
of Hfe.
Mr. Keach has been married twice, first on October 31, 1891, to Jessie
Brown, of New Albany, whose death occurred on October 31, 1895. To
them were born two children, Kenneth S. and Howard L. On January 20,
1897, Mr. Keach married Addie Wilder, of Bedford, Indiana, the daughter
of Austin N. Wilder, and to this union were born four children : Morris W.,
deceased ; Emily Catherine, Edith Elizabeth and Gordon L.
Fraternally. Mr. Keach is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer-
ica and served as venerable consul of Camp No 4033, Bedford, for about
ten years. He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to all of the bodies
in Bedford and is a past master of Bedford Lodge No. 14; past high priest
of Hacker Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons : past eminent commander of
Bedford Commandery No. 42, Knights Templar; past worthy patron of Bed-
ford Chapter No. 129, Order of the Eastern Star, and is a member of Coun-
cil No. 62, Royal and Select Masters. Religiously, he is a member of the
First Christian church, of which he is a deacon and now serving as chairman
of the board of trustees.
TOSEPH T. DILLEY.
It can not be other than interesting to note in the series of personal
sketches appearing in this work the varying conditions that have compassed
those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to
throw well focused light on to the individuality and to bring into proper per-
spective the scheme of each respective career. Each man who strives to ful-
fill his part in connection with human life and human activities is deserving of
recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the function of
works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record
concerning those represented in its pages, and the value of such publications
is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing forth the individual
and specific accomplishments of which generic history is ever engendered.
Joseph T. Dilley was born on May 11, 1852, in Bono township, Indiana,
and is a son of Uriah and Annie (Fordyce) Dilley, the former born in Ken-
tucky in 1802, and the latter a native of Clark county, Indiana. The sub-
ject's paternal grandfather, Stephen Dilley, was a native of the state of Vir-
ginia, who later located in Kentucky. A year later he located in Bedford
county, Kentucky, and eventually came to Lawrence county. Indiana, locating
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 605
in Bono township, where he conducted farming operations and also followed
his trade which w^as that of a cooper, one of the most important and useful
trades in the early life of the community. He was well known throughout
this locality and held a high place in the confidence of all who knew him.
Uriah Dilley received but a limited education, his studies being confined to the
subscription schools of that early period. He was reared on the home farm
and followed agricultural pursuits and the raising of live stock during the
greater part of his life and was also for a time engaged in the mercantile
business at Bono. He died in 1858, and his wife in 1875, at the age of sixty-
six years. Uriah Dilley was one of the first county commissioners of Law-
rence countv and was active in political affairs a=. a Whig. He and his wife
were members of the old Hard-shell Baptist church at Talbott's graveyard,
in which thev took an active part. Their children were as follows : Salina,
deceased: Oliver, who died in young manhood: Stephen also died young;
John R., who died at the age of thirty-three years; Uriah M., who liives on the
old home place; Anna, the widow of George Shipley, lives with her children;
Joseph T., the suljject of this sketch, and Charles, a farmer in Bradley county,
.^.rkansas.
Joseph T. Dillev received his education in the public schools of his native
county and remained on the paternal homestead nntil 1877, when he engaged
in the lumber and saw-mill Imsiness at Lawrenceport, Indiana, which occu-
pied his attention for al:Jout ten years. He then came to Mitchell and en-
gaged in the grocerv business, whicli has since commanded his attention. By
courteous treatment of his customers and strict integrity in all his business
dealings he has not only gained the confidence of the people but has built up
a large and profitable business, being numbered among the enterprising and
progressive merchants of this enterprising town. He was postmaster at
Mitchell for four years and in 1909 he was elected mayor of the town, in
which position he has discharged his duties to the entire satisfaction of his fel-
low citizens.
Mr. Dilley is a Democrat in his political views and takes a deep interest
in political aiTairs. He was trustee of Bono townshii) for four years, earning
the commendation of all who were familiar witli his discharge of his official
duties. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted IMasons, the
Knights of Pythias and the Impro\ed Order of Red Men, while, religiously,
he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, in the prosperity of
which thev are deeply interested and to which they contribute of their means.
'Mr. Dilley married ^Margaret Neiderift'er, of Bono township, Lawrence
county, Indiana, who died in 1878, and subsequently he married Susan Guth-
6o6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
rie, of Leesville. this count}', whose death occurred on June 28, 1913. To the
first union were horn the fohowing children: L}-dia. wife of Frank Bookster,
of Oklahoma C\ty. Oklahoma: IMary, who died young: Lulu, the wife of
Frank Donica, of Des ]\Ioines. Iowa: John died young. To the subject's
second union no children were born. By the exercise of sound business prin-
ciples and by being energetic at all times. Mr. Dilley has forged to the front
in spite of all obstacles and is today one of the most deserving and worthy
business men of the county, where he is held in high esteem by all classes,
because of his honestv of purpose, his industry, genuine worth, courtesy of
manner and his public spirit.
THALUS AIADISOX WILCOX.
.\ re\iew of the life of the honored and laniented suliject of this sketch
must of necessity be brief and general in its character. To enter fully into the
interesting details of liis career, touching the struggles of his early manhood
and successes of later days, would far transcend the limits of this article. He
filled a large place in the ranks of tlie enterprising and public-spirited men of
his (lav and generation and the luster of his deeds and the memories which
attach to his name and character form n(T incmisiderable chapter in the his-
tory of the CdUimunitv where he did his work antl achie\Td his success. Suf-
ficient is su])niitted, we believe, to pro\e him entitled to the honorable posi-
tion he long occupied among the brave and energetic self-made men of In-
diana, whi) b\- enter])rise and unswerving integrity forged to the front despite
all opposition and won for the grand old Hoosier commonwealth a place sec-
ond to none other in the bright constellation comprising the L'^^nion of Amer-
ican states. That he did his part nobly and well can not be gainsaid, and,
though dead, he yet speaketh in the work which he accomplished and in the
many kindly deeds and wholesome influence which not only his friends, but
the community as well, prize as a grateful heritage.
T. AI. Wilcox, who for many years was numbered among the successful
and enterprising business men of Lawrence county, Indiana, was born in
Washington county, this state, and was the son 'f Hiram and Julia (Clark)
Wilcox, natives of A'ermont. These parents i-ame to Indiana, locating at
Bono in an early day, and there Hiram Wilcox became a successful merchant
and farmer. He enjoyed a wide ac(|uaintance throughout the county and was
highly respected by all who knew him. He and his wife both died at Bono.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 607
To them were born the following- cliildren : Marw Alonzo ; Asher S., who is
mentioned at length elsewhere in this work: ^lehinia, Solon. Amhrns and T.
i\I., the immediate subject of this sketch.
T. M. Wilcox was indebted to the common schools for his education,
which may be presumed to have been somewhat limited, for in those early
days school methods and equipments were Ijoth somewhat primitive as com-
pared with present-day conditions, but during tlie subsequent vcars he lib-
erally supplemented his school training l:)y much reading and habits of close
observation. He was reared at the paternal hom.estead in Washington coun-
ty, Indiana, and u]ion attaining maturity followed the vocation of his father,
that of farming, with which he combined stock raising and trading, also was
engaged in the mill Inisiness. Eventually he came t(_T Tunnelton, Lawrence
county. Indiana, and became associated with hi: ])rother, Asher S., in the
store and n]ill business, the former I)ecoming one of the most important mer-
cantile enterprises in Lawrence county, and with these concerns Air. Wilcox
was closely identified up to the time of his death, which occurred on January
12, 1900. He was a man of gotxl b.usiness abilit}'. sound discretion and abso-
lute integrity, factors which contrilmted in a large degree to the splendid suc-
cess which characterized all his efforts. During all his active years his career
was characterized by (lut\- well performed. ])v faithfulness to e\erv trust re-
posed in him. bv industry, thrift and wiselv directed effort, which resulted in
the ac(pusition of a liberal share of this world's goods, besides earning a rejni-
tation which was ne\er tarnished In- the comn-iission of a single unworthv act.
On Ala}- 18, i8(j(), Air. Wilcox married Susie Iluddleston, the daughter of
Lewis Huddleston. a native of Xorth Carolina, where he was reared. In
young manhood Air. Huddleston went to Xew Albany. Indiana, where for
several }-ears he ran a boat, later locating in Washinglon county, Indiana,
where he took up farming, which he conducted with marked success. He mar-
ried Virginia Click, a native of Virginia, and after their marriage located on
Alajor Craven's farm, where they li\e(l for twenty-one }-ears, he being en-
gaged in farming. They are both now deceased They were faithful mem-
bers of the Christian church and attained to a high standing in the opinion of
all who knew them. Thev were the ])arents of three children: Susie (Airs.
Wilcox), Henry, a boiler-maker of Indiana])olis. Indiana, and William T.,
postmaster and merchant at Tunnelton, this county. To Air. and Airs. Wil-
cox were born the following children: Ida, who died at the age of ten years;
Ella, the wife of Dr. H. J. Alatlock, of Tunnelton: .\sher S., who died at the
age of twenty years : William, a farmer in Guthrie township, who married
Josie Whicker: Oren, at home, and Gretchen, who died on December i6, 1909.
6o8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTTES, INDIANA.
After her husband's death Mrs. Wilcox moved to Mitchell, where she now
resides in a beautiful and attractive home and where she graciously entertains
her many friends. She is successfully managing the estate left by her husband,
which, besides his business interests in Tunnelton, comprise some valuable
farm property in Bono and Guthrie townships, in the operation of which she
exhibits a business tact and ability of high degree. She has also bought a
farm of fortv acres in Guthrie township, which she has given to her son,
William. Her earlv business training was received years ago when, because
of the ill health of her father and mother, she, l)eing the oldest child in
the faniih', was compelled to look after their business affairs and also
superintended the rearing of the other children. She is a woman of kindly
sympathies and womanlv graces and in the community where she lives she
enjoys marked popularity in the circles in which she moves. Mr. Wilcox
possessed to a marked degree those (jualities of character which uin friends
and he was successful always in retaining the friends he made, so that for
years he was numbered among the most populai' citizens of his community.
He was recognized as a man of strong and alert mentality, deeply interested
in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community along material,
civic and moral lines, and for years he was recognized as one of the progres-
sive and representative men of his city and county. He was a man whom to
know was to respect and admire because of his sterling qualities of character
and upright life.
J. D. SHOWERS.
A review of the life of the honored subject of this biographical sketch
must of necessity be brief and general in its character. To enter fully into
the interesting details of the career of Mr. Showers, touching the earnest and
persistent efforts of his earlier years and successes of later days, would far
transcend the limits of this article. He has filled a large place in the ranks
of the enterprising and public-.spirited men of his day and has been an impor-
tant factor in the growth and development of the city's industrial and com-
mercial interests. He is a representative of that sterling type of the world's
workers who have furnished much of the bone and sinew of the country and
added to the stability of our country and its institutions. And yet, in spite
of the multitudinous activities of his life, he never allowed the pursuit of
wealth to warp his kindly nature, but has preserved his faculties and the
warmth of his heart for the broadening and helpful influence of human life,
being a kindly, genial friend and gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 609
J. D. Showers was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, on Jul}- ii, 1841, and
is the son of Charles C. and Elizabeth (Hull) Showers, both of whom Avere
born at Coudersport, Pennsylvania. In an early day these parents came
West, settling in Allen county, Indiana, where the father followed his trade
of cabinet-maker, also working in various towns in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and
other states. In 1856 he came to Bloomington, Indiana, and continued to
work at his trade until 1862, when, having succeeded in getting some ma-
chinery together, he started, in a small way, the manufacture of furniture. In
this modest way was started the great Showers furniture factory, which has
been developed by his sons until it is now the largest factory of its kind in
the world. More than fifteen acres of floor space are utilized in this great
plant, where more than twelve hundred men are employed, with a constant
demand for several hundred more. In the year 1866 the subject of this
sketch and his brother, William N. Showers, bought out their father's interest
in the plant and from that time they made successive enlargements of the fac-
tory until 1904. In that year J. D. Showers sold his interest in the business
to his brother, who is now the head of the business, and since that time the
subject has lived a more retired life, though not entirely relinquishing his
interest in business affairs. He is president of the Citizens Loan and Trust
Company, of which he was one of the organizers and to his active efforts and
personal influence has been to a large extent due the splendid success which
has characterized the institution. The last financial statement issued by this
bank was as follows: Resources — Loans and discounts, $295,183.15; over-
drafts, $1,293.07'; bonds and stocks, $30,488.62; furniture and fixtures,
$2,465.02 ; advances to estates and trusts, $400.87 ; due from departments,
$264.27; due from banks and trust companies, $137,397.01; cash on hand,
$23,940.00; cash items, $2,883.57; current expenses, $1,108.27; taxes and
interest paid, $4,608.83; total, $500,032.68. Liabilities — Capital stock,
$55,000.00; surplus, $12,000.00; undivided profits, $13,800.84; interest, dis-
count and other earnings, $7,281.42; demand deposits, except banks. $232,-
722.16; time deposits, $179,228.26; total, $500,032.68. The officers of the
company are as follows : J. D. Showers, president ; Roy O. Pike, cashier ; S.
O. Harrell, assistant cashier; directors, J. D. Showers, Ira C. Batman, W. S.
Bradfute, W. T. Hicks, W. N. Showers, Fred Matthews and Roy O. Pike.
The Citizens Loan and Trust Company is one of the strong and influential
financial institutions of southeastern Indiana and has been an important factor
in the business prosperity of Bloomington and vicinity.
Politically, a life-long Republican, Mr. Showers cast his first presi-
(39)
6lO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
dential vote for Abraham Lincoln and has always been an uncompromising-
supporter of his party, believing that the party's record in the past and her
present position on the great issues of the day entitle it to the support of the
people. Though not himself an office seeker, in the commonly accepted
meaning of that term, he has rendered efficient and appreciated service to
his city as a member of the city council, where he was retained for fourteen
years, while for seventeen years he served as a member of the city school
board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows and the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has attained to the
degrees of the Royal Arch. His religious membership is with the Methodist
Episcopal church, in the prosperity of which he is deeply interested, con-
tributing liberally to its support.
J. D. Showers has been twice married, first, in 1864, to Loretta Claypool
Fish, and in 1865 to Belle Allen, who was a native of Floyd county, Indiana.
To the second union were born three children, namely: Martha, deceased;
Charles, deceased; Maude E., who became the wife of Doctor Myers, who is
connected with the medical department of the State University, but who has
a branch office at Indianapolis, where he has the advantage of the hospital
equipments.
Although modest and unassuming and always easily approached, Mr.
Showers possesses a strong and vigorous personality and. in the best sense of
the term, is a leader of men and well fitted to manage important enterprises.
He resides in a pleasant and attractive home on Walnut street, where the
spirit of old-time hospitality is ever in evidence. A wide reader and a close
observer of men and events, Mr. Showers is a well informed man and a most
interesting conversationalist and companion. He enjoys a large acquaint-
ance and is well liked by all who know him.
BURT G. HOADLEY.
The stone industry, to which the major part of tlie business life of Burt
G. Hoadlev. one of the well known and populai- citizens of ]Monroe county,
has been devoted, is one of the most imp<jrtant and extensive industries in
Monroe countv and one which has to a notable extent contributed to the
growth and development of this section of the state. ]Mr. Hoadley's name is
well known in his community, where other members of the family have also
been connected with business life, the family being numbered among the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 6ll
leading families of the locality. ]\Ir. Hoadley has spent practically his entire
life here and he has honestly earned not only the splendid material success
which has rewarded his efforts, but that which 's of far more value, the con-
fidence and regard of the people with whom he has mingled from boyhood.
Burt G. Hoadley was born on September 21, 1876, and is a son of John
and Mary E. (York) Hoadley, the father being a native of England and the
mother of Ohio. At the age of twelve years John Hoadley came to the
United States, where he secured his education and then learned the trade of
a machinist, at which he was employed at New Albany, Indiana. After re-
siding at the latter place for four or five years, he came to Monroe county
and became a pioneer in the stone business, for which this section of the state
has become so justly famous. In 1876 he opened a ((uarry on Big creek, in
the operation of which he met with success, and later he took his son Albert
in as a partner, and still later the suliject of this sketch, who, since the retire-
ment of his father and the death of his brother, lias entire cliarge and control
of the business. Sawed and block stone, as well as finislied product, are turned
out and the output of the Hoadley quarry and plant has long stood in high
favor among builders and contractors, the product being shipped to various
sections of the country, e^•en to distant points. To John and INIary Hoadley
were born seven children, namely : Belle, Alliert and Elmer are all deceased,
and Albert is referred to specificallv elsewhere in this work; Minnie, Rose,
John and Burt G. The mother of these children is now deceased.
Burt G. Hoadlev is indebted to the public schools for his educational train-
ing, on the completion of which he became inierested with his father and
brother in the stone business, t(~> which he has since devoted himself continu-
ouslv. As before stated, he now controls the quarry and plant and is meeting
with splendid success. He thoroughly understands every phase of the stone
business and, because of this fact and his sound business principles and shrewd
common sense, he has realized large rewards for his eft'orts, being now num-
bered among the leaders in his line in this community.
In 1897 Mr. Hoadley was united in marriage with Katherine E. Keene,
the daughter of William and Jennie Keene, wlio were early settlers in this
■county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoadley have been born four children, namely :
John, Katherine, Robert and Ruth.
Politically, Mr. Hoadley occupies an independent attitude, preferring,
especiallv in local elections, to vote for the men and policies which he believes
to be for the best interests of the people. Religicaisly, he is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is an earnest supporter and to which
he contributes liberally of his means. His fraternal relations are with the
6l2 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Free and Accepted Masons, in \\ hich he has attained the degrees of the Scot-
tish rite up to and inchiding the thirty-second. He is also a noble of the
Mystic Shrine, belonging to Alurat Temple, at Indianapolis. A man of integ-
rity and honor, he has been unswerving in his support of all that makes for
the good of the community along all lines, and he is deservedly held in the
highest regard by all who know him.
ELBERT J. STALKER.
The name of Stalker has been for many years an honored and respected
one in Lawrence county, and the gentleman of Ihat name who is the imme-
diate subject of this sketch is richly deserving of the universal respect and
esteem which is accorded him in the community in which he lives. He is being
numbered among the progressive and enterprising citizens of the county, and
he has also been accorded definite recognition in the political circles of the
county, being now the clerk of the court, in which position he is rendering
efficient and satisfactory service.
Elbert J. Stalker was born in Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana, on
October 5, 1865, in a house which is still standing on Fourteenth street, and
he is the son of Rev. John McLean Stalker and Harriett (Jeter) Stalker. The
father was born four miles east of Salem, ^^^ashington county, Indiana, in
February, 1828. and the mother is a native of Bedford. Rev. John M. Stalker
graduated from Hanover College about 1852 and two years later came to Bed-
ford, where he eng'aged in teaching school, which vocation he followed for
eighteen consecutive years. His first engagement was as a subscription school
teacher, though later he was engaged as an instructor in the academy. He
was a man of marked intellectual attainments and educational ability and was
elected county superintendent of schools of Lawrence county, in which he
rendered very efficient service. In 1872 Mr. Stalker was elected clerk of Law-
rence county on the Republican ticket and so satisfactory was his service that
he was elected to succeed himself, thus serving two terms. He was also
engaged as a teacher at Mitchell and Leesville. Upon the expiration of his
official term as clerk he was appointed master Commissioner, now known as
probate judge, by Judge Pearson, of this county, and served in this position
for several years. He then became secretary of the Bedford Building & Loan
Association, which position he held at the time of his death. He was a man
of good business judgment and splendid executive ability and much of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 613
success of this association was directly attributable to his ability and personal
efiforts. He was an ordained minister in the Baptist church and during all
these strenuous years after coming to Bedford lie was the regular preacher
in the Baptist church of this city and also preached in the country churches of
the county. He took a deep interest in everything pertaining to the welfare
of the community, especially regarding educational matters, and served at one
time as a member of the Bedford school board. His death occurred on June
15, 1896, at the age of sixty-eight years, and he 's survived by his widow, who
now lives in Bedford. To them \\ere born four children, namely: Elizabeth
E., the wife of James H. McCracken, of Bedford ; ]Mary D., the wife of O. H.
Longwell, of Des ]\Ioines, Iowa, where he is president of Highland Park
College; Francis ^I., who is a professor in the Indiana State Normal School
at Terre Haute, and l^bert J., the immediate sul^ject of this sketch.
Ell^ert J. Stalker recei\-ed his elementary education in the public schools of
Bedford, graduating from the high school in 1884. In that same year he
entered Franklin College, remaining there two years, and in 1886 became a
student in Indiana University at Bloomington, where he was graduated in
1888. He then taught for one year in the high school at Salem, Indiana, and
later became bookkeeper in the Stone City Bank at Bedford, later filling the
same position in the Citizens National Bank until igo8, when he was nominated
on the Republican ticket and elected county clerk of Lawrence county by a
majority of five hundred and twenty-five. In 1912 he was again the nominee
of his party for the clerkship, but, owing to the Bull Moose defection from
the party, he was defeated by fifty-one votes. His time expires on lanuarv i,
1 9 14, when he expects to retire to his splendid farm located two miles east
of Bedford. During his official term, Mr. Stalker has formed a large acquaint-
ance throughout Lawrence county, and wherever known he enjoys the high
regard of all who come into contact with him liecause of his high personal
qualities of character and his genial disposition, and he will retire from the
office with the commendation and good will of all who have had ofiicial deal-
ings with him.
On April 26, 1893, 'Sir. Stalker was married to Anna June Todd, the
daughter of Capt. A. J. and Mollie ( Bostick ) Todd, of Bedford. She was
born in Campbellsburg, Orange county, Indiana, and is a lady of many fine
cjualities of character, being popular in the social circles in which she moves.
To this union have been born three children, whose names and dates of birth
are as follows : Donald T., born ^lay 29, 1894 : John M., November 26, 1901 ;
Marjorie J., June 10, 1912.
Socially, Mr. Stalker is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, while.
6l4 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
religiously, he is a member of the Baptist church of Bedford, of which he is
a deacon. He takes a deep interest in the civic affairs of the community and is
a member of the county Ijoard of charities. In every phase of life's activities
in which he has engaged he has pr.nen himself a man among men and has
earned the high position which he now enjoys in the community where his
entire life has been spent.
THOMAS L. HARRIS.
Among the worthy citizens of Bedford is found the name of Thomas L.
Harris, who has made a success of his chosen life work and at the same time
e^lal)!ishe(l a reputation for uprightness in all relations of life. Mr. Harris,
who, after a life of strenuous activity, is now living retired in his comfortable
home at Bedford, was born in this city on }*Iarch 26, 1849. He is the son of
\\illiam and Dina (Beyers) Harris, the father 1 native of Salem, Ohio, and
the mother of Pennsylvania. They were married in Ohio and came to Indiana
in 1845, locating at Spring\ille, where the father worked at his trade as car-
penter until 1848. Sul)se(iuently be acijuired the ownership of one hundred
and sixtN- acres of land in ( iulhrie township, Lawrence county, to the operation
of which he devoted his attention until his death in 1885. in the sixty-fourth
\'ear of his age. He was survived several years by his wife, who died in
August, i8go, in the sixty-sixth year of her age. She was born in 1824. They
were earnest members of the Christian church, while in politics Mr. Harris
was a Democrat. Thev were the parents of two children, Thomas L., the
subject of this sketch, and William Riley, who was engaged in the stone busi-
ness and whose tleath occurred in September, 1889.
Thomas L. Harris receixed his education in the schools of his home
neighljorhood. which were somewhat primitive in equipment and method, but
he was aml)itious to acquire information and by much reading and home study
he became a well informed man. He remained under the parental roof until
the age of twenty-two years, and engaged in teaching school, in which he was
eminently successful, continuing to folhnv this \'ocation for nine terms. In
1875 Mr. Harris located at Fort Ritner, Indiana, and engaged in farming,
which claimed his attention for eighteen years and in 1889 he came to Bedford,
buying a i)leasai:t home on Eighth street, later buying his present home at No.
2026 I street, where he now resides. Since coming to Bedford Mr. Harris
has been actively engaged as a civil engineer and was very successful in this
calling, but is now practically retired from active business pursuits. He is at
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 615
present serving as coroner of Lawrence county and is performing his duties
to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. Politically, ~Slr. Harris is a staunch
supporter of the Democratic party, taking a deep interest in political affairs.
Religiously, he is a member of the Christian church at Bedford, while his
fraternal relations are wdth the Improved Order of Red Men.
On January 26, 1872, Mr. Harris married Eva Kewkirk, of Lawrence
county, the daughter of E. B. and Leanora ( Dixon) Newkirk, natives of Vev-
mont. Mrs. Newkirk was the first white child that crossed White river at
Fort Ritner, the family having been pioneers and successful farmers in that
locality. Her parents died in this county. Mrs. Eva Harris died in 1877,
leaving one child, Hattie, who became the wife of John Bell, an electrician at
Bedford, Indiana. For his second wife Mr. Harris married on No\-ember
19, 1877, Mary J. Dixon, of Lawrence county, a daughter of Alex H. and
Emma Stella Dixon, natives of X^irginia, who .^ame to Lawrence county in
1825 and settled in the eastern part of the county, where ]\Ir. Dixon has
acquired a large tract of land. He died in 1894 and Mrs. Dixon now lives in
Bedford, at the age of eighty-nine years. To the subject's second union w^ere
born the following children: Homer, an electrician at Bedford, who married
Gertie Seabrook, of New .Mljany. Indiana, and tliey haA-e one child, Oneida;
Bert is unmarried and lives in southern Indiana; Lillie died at the age of six
months; Maljel is at home with her parents. Mr. Harris is progressive in his
ideas and has bv his own efforts become well fixed as regards material afifairs
and is deserving of the success which has attended his efforts and of the high
esteem in which he is held by all bis neigbl)ors and friends throughout the
county.
CHARLES P. BUTLER.
It is a well recognized fact that the most powerful intluence in shaping
and controlling public life is the press. It reaches a greater number of people
than any other agency and thus has alwavs been and, in the hands of persons
competent to direct it, always will be a most important factor in moulding
public opinion and shaping the destiny of the nation. The gentleman to a
brief review- of whose life these lines are devoted is prominently connected with
the journalism of southern Indiana, and at this time is editor and publisher
of the Daily and Weekly Democrat, one of the most popular papers of Law-
rence county, comparing favorably with the best local sheets in this section of
the state' in news, editorial abilitv and mechanical execution.
6l6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Charles P. Butler is a native son of the old Hoosier state, having been
born in North Vernon. Indiana, on May ri, \SGj\, and is the son of Patrick
and Mary ( ?\IcDonald ) Butler, both of whom were natives of Ireland, and
both being now deceased. The subject was educated in the public schools of
Xorth A'ernon and in 1S82 he began his apprenticeship at the printing trade
in the office of the Xorth rcnwii Sun. where he remained until 1887. In
that year he and his stepd)rother bought the paDcr, which they ran together
until 1902, when Charles P. came to Bedford and Imught the Doily and Weekly
Democrat, to which he has since devoted his entire attention and which he has
developed into one of the best newspapers in this section of the state.
On June 20, rqo4, ^Ir. Butler was imited in marriage with Mary L.
Boland, of ^Mitchell, this county, and they ha\-e liecome the parents of one
daughter, Catherine ]\lar}-. Rcligiousl}-. Mr. Butler is a faithful member of
the Catholic church. lie takes a consistent interest in the public affairs of
the communitv and, ])ersonaIlv and through the columns of his paper, gives
an earnest support to e\ery movement calculated, to upbuild the community
;uid adxance the welfare of its people.
FRED MATTHEWS.
The prosperity and substantial welfare of a community are in a large
measure due to the enterprise and wise foresight of its business men. It is the
progressive, wide-awake men of affairs that make the real history of a com-
munity, and their influence in shaping and directing its varied interests is
difficult to estimate. The well known gentleman of whom the biographer
writes in this connection has long ranked among the leading business men
of Monroe county, and it is to such enterprising spirits as he that the locality
is indebted for its recent substantia! growth and for the high position it oc-
cupies as a center of industrial activity and progress.
Fred Matthews is a native son of the old Hoosier state, having been born
at Stinesville, Monroe county, Indiana, on March 25. 1859. He is the son
of John and Mary Ann (Drake) Matthews, both of w-hom were natives of
England, the mother having been a descendant of the family of which the
noted Sir Francis Drake was a representative. John Matthews came to
Monroe county early in the fifties and became connected with the stone busi-
ness and superintendent of mills in the Big Creek quarry district west of
Stinesville. This was the first limestone quarry in the famous oolitic lime-
^ftrji HiaJ^^ZZ^
<:--^UL^-^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 617
stone field in Indiana and with this enterprise he was connected for about five
years. In 1862 John Matthews started in business on his own account, going
to EUiottsville, Indiana, and opening a quarry there, which he operated for
a time, but which is now exhausted, though the mills there have been rebuilt
and still in operation. This was the second quarry of this kind of stone which
was located on the Alonon railroad. The first quarry which had railroad
communication was at Salem, Indiana, but the subject's father was not con-
nected with this. John Matthews died in 1883, having lived a life of eminent
respectability and honor in the community.
The subject of this sketch received a good practical education in the
public schools of Monroe county, and at an early age entered the stone busi-
ness, associating himself with two of his brothers, Peter T. and William N.,
who took over their father's business under the name of Matthews Brothers.
Peter T. and William N. Matthews both died shortly after the organization
of the company and Fred Matthews was thus left in entire charge of the
business, which he subsequently reorganized and incorporated under the name
of ^Matthews Brothers Company. In addition to his own holdings in that
company, Mr. Matthews is a stockholder and president of the Crescent Stone
Company, and also a stockholder and president of the Empire Stone Com-
pany, located in the Clear Creek district. In the ])usiness of stone quarrying
Mr. Matthews is numbered among the most experienced and best qualified in
the oolitic district, having long ago demonstrated his fitness for the work to
which he is devoting himself. He is also a large stockholder in the Indiana
Gold Dredging and Mining Company, a corporation which is engaged in
dredging in California, and which is meeting with fair success.
Politically, Mr. Matthews has ])een a life-long Democrat and in iSyf) he
was elected auditor of Monroe county, being the only Democrat elected to a
county office that year. He proved a faithful and efficient official and retired
from the office with the commendation of all who were familiar with his
work. He has also rendered appreciative service as a member of the Bloom-
ington school board. Fraternally, ]\lr. Matthews is affiliated with the
Masonic order, belonging to the council, chapter and commandery in the York
Rite, while in the Scottish Rite he has received distinctive preferment, having
been honored with the thirty-third and last degree, the honors of that degree
being conferred upon him at Detroit, Michigan, in 1910. Religiously, he is
a merhber of the Baptist church, to which he gives liberally and in the pros-
perity of which he is deeply interested. He has a pleasant and attractive
residence at No. 419 North Walnut street, Bloomington. and here he finds his
6l8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
greatest pleasure and enjoyment, where, surrounded by his family, he casts
aside the cares of business life and enjoys himself to the utmost.
In 1879 Mr. Matthews was married to Nettie B. Moore, the daughter
of Harrison and Margaret (May) Moore, old settlers of this county, where
the father was for many years a successful farmer. He is now deceased, but
his widow is still living at the advanced age of ninety-one years. To Mr.
and Mrs. Matthews have been born three children, namely: Bertha A., the
wife of W. E. Showers; Edith E., the wife of Gladstone H. Barrett, and
Janette M., who remains at home with her parents. Industry and probity
have been the chief factors in Mr. Matthews' steady advance in business
affairs and his position in the world of commerce is such as to reflect the high-
est credit upon himself and to add to the reputation of Bloomington as an
important business center. Manifesting an abiding interest in the material
advancement of the city, he has given his influence and assistance to all enter-
prises with this object in view, and he also takes an active part in promoting
all worthy means and measures for the welfare of his fellow men. All in all
he is a worthy representative of the steady, intelligent and progressive class
that gives stability to the body politic and character to the community, being
broad minded, with wide views of men and affairs and a true type of the
enterprising American citizen of today.
EUGENE H. R. PERRY
It is the proi^ressive. wiilv-awake man of aft'airs that makes the real his-
tory of a comnninit}- and his influence as a i)Otential factor of the body politic
is difiicult to estimate. The examples such men furnish of patient purpose and
steadfast integrity strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accom-
plish, and there is always a full measure of satisfaction in adverting even in
a casual way to tlieir achie\emcnts in ad\'ancing the interests of their fellow
men and in gi\'in,i^^ stren,L;th and soli(lit\- to tlic institutions wliich make so
much tor the ]ir(.)si)erity of the comnnmity. Such a man is the worthy su]>ject
of this sketch, and as such it is proper that a review of his career be accorded
a place among the representative citizens of the citv and countv in which lie
resides.
Eugene H. R. I'err\-, one of tlie most prominent business men of Elletts-
ville, was ]:)orn in .Monroe county, Indiana, August 2. 1882, and is the son
of Gilbert K. and Henrietta E. (Hasslock) Perrv, the father a native of
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 619
Maine and the mother of Tennessee. Gilbert Perry came tu Monroe county
following his brother, who had come here to teach school. After securing
his education he took up the sawmill business, in which he continued with
splendid success until about 1861. x-\t that time he gave evidence of his
patriotic spirit by assisting in the organization of C()mpany G, Thirty-eighth
Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, of which he was elected first lieutenant
and with which he served until he w'as mustered out on account of physical
disability, having been taken sick during this period. For his valiant and
courageous conduct he was promoted to the rank of captain, which he held
until the time he was mustered out of service. After his return to peaceful
pursuits 3*1 r. Perry engaged in the stone business in Monroe county, being
one of the first men to engage in the oolitic limestone quarrying in this local-
ity, his first work being carried on near Ellettsville. In this he was very suc-
cessful and attained a splendid reputation among the business men of his lo-
cality. He was twice married and to the first union were born two children,
Mabel and Grace, while t(j the second union there were five children, Gilbert
K., Herman H., Eugene H. R , Fred D. E. and Job.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools,
being a graduate of the Bloomington high school and he then followed the
line of effort in which his father had been so successful and since that time
his efforts ha\-e been confined to the stone business, in which he is still actively
engaged. He is a man of good business judgment, energetic habits and per-
sistent determination and he has achieved a noteworthy success in a line re-
Cjuiring intelligence and aptitude of a high order. Among his associates he
is held in high esteem because of his excellent ability and high character.
On November 25, 1907, Mr. Perry was nwrried to Cora B. Faulkner,
the daughter of Edward E. Faulkner, and to them ha\e Ijeen born two chil-
dren, Jean H. and Julia E.
Politically, Mr. Perry is an ardent Republican, l)ut has neither time nor
inclination for taking an acti\-e part in public affairs, h'raternally, he is a
member of the Masonic order, in which he has taken the degrees of blue
lodge, chapter and commandery, and is also a meml)er of the Xobles of the
Mystic Shrine, the Improved Order of Red ]\len and the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, in the workings of which orders he takes an appreciative and
intelligent interest. Mr. Perry possesses a pleasing personality and is easily
approached. Strong and forceful in his relations with his fellow men, he not
only makes his presence felt, but has also gained ihe good will and commenda-
tion of both his associates and the general public, retaining his reputation
among men for integrity and high character and ne\er losing that dignity
w^hich is the birthright of a gentleman.
620 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FRED T. DUNIHUE.
A career marked by earnest and indefatigable application has been that of
this substantial and honored citizen of Bedford. Indiana, where he has main-
tained a residence for many years, during all of which time his life has been
an open book aud read by his fellow men. He was a valiant soldier of the
Civil war, where his fidelity was of the type which has characterized his actions
in all their relations and gained for him the confidence and esteem of the
public and unbounded respect of all with whom he has been brought into
contact.
Fred T. Dunihue is a native of the locality in which he now lives, having
been born in Bedford, Indiana, on February 26, 1847. I^^ is the son of Alex-
Id. and M. L. ( AIcLane) Duniluie, the former of v.'hom was born in Marietta,
Ohio, in 1806. The subject's paternal grandfather, Daniel Dunihue, was a
native of Rutland, Vermont, who, in young manhood, made a trip to Canada,
and while there was forced into the English army. However, he made his
escape a short time later and subsequently went to Marietta, Ohio, where he
lived several years, eventually coming to Bedford, Indiana, where he spent his
remaining davs and here died. He married Abigal Poole, of Vermont, wdio
also is deceased. Alexander H. Dunihue in young manhood came to Indiana,
locating first at Liberty, to which place he went with a stock of goods belonging
to a Louisville firm. After selling this stock for his employer he came to
Bedford, Indiana, and entered the employ of Samuel Irwin, one of Bedford's
prominent merchants in that day. Later he became associated with his mater-
nal grandfather, William McLane. The latter came to Bedford in 1826 and
here opened a store which he conducted f(jr a time, but in 1856 went to San
Antonio, Texas. He was a wealthv man, owning large tracts of land in
Texas, and he tlied while in that state. His wife died in Bedford. Alexander
H. Dunihue and his brother-indaw. Hiram H. McLane, for a number of years
were engaged in the mercantile business and eventually Robert Kelly bought
Mr. McLane's interest and they ran the store together until 1870, after which
the firm name became Alex H. Dunihue &: Son, the son's name being William.
L'nder this firm name the business was conducted until 1880, when the store
was closed and the business discontinued. Alex H. Dunihue died in 1891, at
the advanced age of eighty-five years, and his wife, who was born in 1817, died
in 1888. She was a member of and an active worker in the Presbyterian
church. Mr. Dunihue was a Republican in politics and took an active part in
local public affairs. To Alex and Ann L. Dunihue were born the following-
children : Mary, who is now deceased, was the wife of Judge N. F. Malotte,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 62 1
of Bedford, Indiana; William M., also deceased, was a merchant and live
stock dealer at Bedford and married Lizzie Hammersley ; Charles H., who
was a farmer at Bedford, was a veteran of the Civil war ; Carrie died in 1850 :
Clara is the widow of William A. Gabe, who was for many years an editor
in Bloomington, and she now resides in Indianapolis: Fred T., the immediate
subject of this review; Hiram H., deceased, was a farmer at Bedford and
never married; Jessie, who is unmarried, remains at Bedford; Henry C. de-
ceased, was a farmer at Bedf(^r(l and never married; Philip .V.. of Bedford,
is a superintendent of a stone quarry and married Nellie Harrison; Lewis H.,
who was a telegraph operator, was killed several years ago in Oregon ; Frank
is deceased.
Fred T. Dunihue received his education in the public schools of his home
neighborhood and in September, 1864, at the age of seventeen years, he en-
listed in Company C, Seventeenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, at Indianapolis
and accompanied the command to Louisville, Kentucky, where they took part
in the \\'ilson raid, which led them through Kenlucky, Tennessee and as far
south as ]\Iacon. Georgia, where they were when '^ht war closed. Mr. Dunihue
received an honorable discharge at Nashville, Tennessee, on June 28, 1865, and
immediately returned to Bedford. Soon after his return home he was ap-
pointed deputv sheriff of Lawrence county, in which position he rendered
efficient service for six years. In 1878 he was elected sheriff, serving from
1879 to 1883, and discharging the duties of this position in a manner such as
won for him the commendation of all concerned. Since then he has been
\ ariously engaged about the court house in different capacities with the excep-
t'.on of a period when he was absent from this county. In August, 1868, he
v.ent to Des Moines, Iowa, where he engaged in the boot and shoe business
for about three years, then for a year was located at Winterset, Iowa. In
e' cry phase of life's activities in which he was engaged Mr. Dunihue lias a]yi\-
performed all duties assigned to him and his life has been lived a'cng the
highest planes of endeavor so that he has honestly earned and retains the
confidence and regard of all wIkt know him.
Mr. Dunihue was married in Jackson county, Missouri, t(.) Snllie G.
Northcraft, the daughter of William and Susan ( Caldwell) Northcraft. natives
of Kentucky, the mother ha^•ing been born in Boyle county, that state. These
parents came to Bedford, Indiana, in 1848, and here the father followed mer-
chant tailoring and ran a clothing store until his death, which occurred in
1864, at the age of forty-five years. He was survived many years by his
widow, who died at the age of seventy-six years. William Northcraft was
twice married, and bv his first wife had a son, \\'illiam. deceased, and bv his
622 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
second wife seven children, namely : James, who died at the age of twenty-eight
years ; John, who lives in Oklahoma ; Lawrence ; Samuel, deceased ; Joseph, of
Pueblo, Colorado; Kate, the wife of John Gleissner, a druggist at Abilene,
Kansas, and Sallie G.. the wife of Mr. Dunihue. To Mr. and Mrs. Dunihue
have been born four children, namely: Clara, the wife of W. F. Perkins, of
Lafayette, Indiana, where he is superintendent for the Prudential Life Insur-
ance Company. They have two sons, William and Robert; Kate is the wife
of Dr. Harry J. Emeiw. a successful dentist at Dayton, Kentucky; Lawrence,
a traveling salesman fur the Indiana Quarry Company, and lives at Columbus,
Ohio, married Sadieniae Allen: Graham, of Bedford, is a traveling salesman
for the Great Xorthern [Manufacturing Companv, of Chicago, Illinois.
Socially, Mr. Dunihue is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic
at Bedford, in which he has taken a deep interest, and where he finds many
pleasant associations ]:)egun during the Civil war. Politically, he is a staunch
Republican and takes much interest in public affairs, though not a seeker after
public office. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church at
Bedford, of which they are regular attendants. Mr. Dunihue is well known
throughout Lawrence county and in the circle in which he mingles he is held
in the highest regard liecause of his upright life and successful character.
WILLIAM A. MATHES.
The career of the well remembered gentleman whose name forms the
caption of this biographical memoir was a strenuous and varied one, entitling
him to honorable mention among the representative citizens of his day and
generation in the county with which his life was so closely identified. Although
his life record has been brought to a close Ijy the inevitable fate that awaits
all mankind, his influence still pervades the lives of a wide circle of friends
and acquaintances who reverence his memory. As public official, soldier or
private citizen, he was always true to himself and his fellow men, and the
tongue of calumny never touched him. As a soldier he proved his loyalty to
the government he loved so well on the long and tiresome marches in all kinds
of situations, on the tented field and amid the flame and smoke of battle, where
the rattle of musketry, mingled with the terrible concussion of the bursting
shell and the deep diapason of the cannon's roar, made up the sublime but awful
chorus of death. To such as he the country is under a debt of gratitude which
it can not repay and in centuries yet to be posterity will commemorate their
chivalry in fitting eulogy and tell their deeds in story and in song.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 623
\\'illiam A. Mathes, whose death occurred at his home in Bedford, Law-
rence county. Indiana, on Xovember i8, 191 1, was born on December 10,
1837, in Bloomington, Monroe county, this state. He was the son of James
X. and Sophia (Glover) Mathes, both of whom were also natives of Monroe
county. The father was a minister in the Christian church and therefore the
familv were compelled to live at various places, but they were residents of
Bedford, Indiana, at the time of their death. The father \\as a man of emi-
nent attainments, was widely known and highly respected among his acquaint-
ances. They were the parents of six children, namely : Jane, Jerry, Cameron,
William A., Emmeline and Alary. Of these children, Cameron is living in
California and ]\Iary in Kansas City.
The subject of this sketch received but a limited education in the common
schools of his home neighborhood and in young manhood he learned the trade
of a tinner. His career was interrupted in August, 1861, at the outbreak of
the Southern rebellion when he enlisted at Bedford as a private in Company
D, Eighteenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He proved a valiant
and courageous soldier, serving faithfully in defense of the national honor
for twentv-two months, when, in one of the most I'lOtly contested battles of the
war, he suffered the loss of his right arm which was cut oft'. In consequence
of his injury he recei\-ed an honorable discharge and returned to Bedford.
Soon afterwards he was elected recorder of Lawrence county, which position
he served eight vears, and during the following years he was employed in
various capacities about the court house. He was a man of good judgment,
alert mentality and performed efficiently e\ery duty to which he gave his atten-
tion. Politicallv, he was a staunch supporter of the Republican party, while
his religious membership was with the Christian church. He enjoyed a wide
acquaintance throughout the county and because of his genial disposition, uni-
form courtesy to all who had dealings with him and his excellent personal
character, he was respected and highly regarded everywhere.
On the i6th of July, 1863, Mr. Mathes married IMary 3*Iullis, a native of
Lawrence county, this state, and the daughter of Robert and Polly (Pierce)
?^Iullis, who were natives of Orange county. Indiana. The father came to
Lawrence county in his young manhood and here acquired the ownership of
a tract of government land which he cleared and developed into a splendid
farm. He and his wife are both deceased. They were earnest members of
the Methodist Episcopal church and were well known and highly respected
in their community. They were the parents of six children, namely : Jacob,
deceased: Eleza, deceased: William: Robert, deceased: ]\Iary, wife of the
subject of this sketch, and Abigail, deceased. To Mr. and ]Mrs. Mathes were
624 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
born six children, namely: Roljert, a tinner by profession at Bedford, who
married ]\Iillie ()\ven: William P... of Bedford, was a bridge carpenter, but
was severely injured, since which time he has beer, an invalid ; Daisy, the wife
of Claude Barnes, of Chattanooga. Tennessee ; Sophia is the wife of Emerson
Sears, of Arizona; Elsie is the wife of Chester Ferris, of Wyoming, and they
have a son. John; George is a tinner by trade and lives in Bedford. ]Mrs.
Mathes is a lady of many kindh- graces of head and heart who has by her
kindliness of manner and excellent (lualities endeared herself to the large
circle of friends which she enioys. She is living in her comfortable and
attractive home at the corner of ^^velfth and X streets. Bedford, where she
enj(jys the companionsliip of her acquaintances.
CHARLES HINKLE.
It is not an easy task to describe adequately a man who has led an
eminently active and busy life and who has attained a position of relative
distinction in the community with which his interests are allied. But biogra-
phy finds its most perfect justification, nevertheless, in the tracing and re-
cording of such a life history. It is, then, with a full appreciation of all that
is demanded and of the painstaking scrutiny that must be accorded each state-
ment, and yet with a feeling of satisfaction, that the writer essays the task of
touching briefly upon the details of such a record as has been that of the hon-
ored subject of this sketch whose eminently successful career is now under
review.
Charles Hinkle was born on August 6, 1880, at Bloomington, Indiana,
and is the son of Marion and Mary (Headley) Hinkle. Marion Hinkle, who
also was a native of Monroe county, Indiana, was for many years actively
engaged in the meat business in Bloomington, buying and selling large num-
bers of live stock. In the civic and political life of the city he was a
prominent figure, having been elected and served as sherifif from 1885 until
1887, and as auditor of the county from 1896 until 1900. He was actively
engaged in the meat business in this city until the time of his death. His wife
was a native of Marietta, Ohio. To them were born twelve children, namely :
Cora, Grace, Samuel, Harvey, Gertrude, Francis, Charles, George, Omar,
Thomas, Fern and one who died in infancy.
The subject of this sketch received a good, practical common school edu-
cation in Monroe county, attending two years at the high school at Blooming-
CHARLES HINKLE
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 625
ton. He was reared to the life of a farmer, which pursuit he followed up to
the time of entering the meat business, about fourteen years ago, and he has
since been continuously identified with this important line of industry. About
1908 he engaged in the business on his own account under the firm name of
Charles Hinkle and in 1910 engaged as a member of the firm of Hinkle &
Souders, being located for about one and one-half years on the east side of
the public square. On September i, 1913. Mr. Hinkle bought the butcher
shop of H. E. Wahl & Company, the Ixisiness being now conducted under his
own name and he has a splendid and well equipped store on the west side of
the square, where he enjoys his full share of the public patronage.
On October 8, 1903, Mr. Hinkle was united in marriage to Jessie Rogers,
the daughter of George and Mattie (Parks) Rogers, both of whom were
natives of Monroe county, Indiana, the father being a successful farmer about
three miles northeast of Bloomington.
Politically, Mr. Hinkle is an ardent supporter of the Democratic party,
while, fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Improved
Order of Red Men, the Court of Honor, Modern Woodmen of America and
the Woodmen of the World, all at Bloomington. Mr. Hinkle has hosts of
friends in Bloomington and adjoining community, owing to his honesty in
business and his upright social and private life and he is much admired by all
who know him for his wholesome living as well as for his business success.
THO^IAS M. BRIXKWORTH.
Among the entcrjirising citizens and jnililic spirited men of affairs in the
city of Bedford must l)c mentioned the gentleman whose name api)ears ai)uvv..
Mr. Brinkwoith was l)orn on Decemljer 31, i.S(;fi, in Spice \'alley township,
Lawrence count}', Indiana, antl is the son of ( ieorge and Anna ( Mill) Brink-
worth. The father was l)orn at Chippenham, Wiltshire, luigland, on May 12:
1823, and the motlier was Ijorn in county Corlc, Ireland, on Xo\'ember 4,
1828. In 1842 (ieorge Brinkworth came to America, locating first at Louis-
\ille, Kentucky, where he remained until 1859 wlien he came to Spice \^alley
township, Lawrence C(junty, Indiana, and bought a farm of one hundred and
sixty acres, to whicli lie ga\e Ins attention until his death, which occurred in
January, 1905. He was loyal to his adopted countr)- and ser\ed as a member
of the Seventh United States Regular Infantry in the Mexican war. In the
(40)
626 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Civil war he enlisted in the One Hnndred Eighty-seventh Regiment Ohio
X^olunteer Infantry, with which he served a \':ar. The subject's paternal
grandfather, Jonathan I'.rinkworth, was born in Wiltshire, England, 1781, and
died in uSOd, l;nt he nex'er left his native land. He was a \-eteran of the Duke
of Wellington's arni\- and one of his sons was in the war with China in i860
and another served fourteen years in India. The subject's mother came to
America in i84(), her uncle, Dennis Collins, lieing collector of the port at
Cincinnati under President James K. Polk. Her marriage to Mr. Brinkworth
occurretl at Louisxille in 1835 and her death occurred in T8gi. To Mr. and
]\[rs. Brinkworth were born eight children, namely: ]\Iar}' A., wife of Patrick
Shea, of Mitchell, Indiana: [Margaret, deceased. Eliza, the wife of Lemual
Westlirouk, of Parkersburg, West X'irginia: Jonathan., of Mitchell, Indiana:
Cordelia, wife of Emmett Noble, of Albia, Iowa: the subject of this sketch is
next in order of I)irth: Julia, wife of John Shea, of El Paso, Texas; Susan,
the wife of Charles V. McXab, of Bloomington, Indiana.
Thomas M. Brinkworth secured his education in the schools of Spice
Valley township, and later went to Hardin county, Kentucky, w^here he engaged
in teaching school and attended the State University at Lexington. He after-
wards taught in West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana from 1891 to 1904, ex-
cepting a period of two vears when he was in school. He was successful as a
teacher and gained a splendid reputation in educational circles. In 1902 Mr.
Brinkworth came to Bedford, Indiana, and engaged in alistract work, in which
he was successful owing to liis painstaking and ca''eful habits of work. He is
also now waterworks solicitor antl collector for the city of Bedford. He is a
man of marked intellectual attainments and good habits, and because of his
industry and high character he enjoys to a notable degree the respect and
confidence of the peoi)le of the community.
Mr. Brinkworth was married on April 3, 1896, to Lola J. Noll, of Hardin
county, Kentucky, whose death occurred on August 21, 1900. Subsequently
he married Ma\l)ell Eaucett, of Jonesboro, Greene countv, Indiana. Erater-
nally, he is a member of Lawrence Lodge No. 160, b'ree and Accepted Masons,
and in his daily life he endeavors to exemplify the sublime precepts of that
time-honored order. I'olitically, he is a Democrat and takes an active intei^est
in the success of his party. In all matters affecting the welfare of the city in
which he resides Mr. Brinkworth takes a comnnendable interest, giving his
support to every movement which promises to benefit the people educationally.
morally, socially or materially, and in consequence of his public spirited atti-
tude he receives the hearty confidence and good will of all who know him.
Socially, he moves in the best circles of the city and enjoys a wide acquaint-
ance, with whom he is deservedly popular
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 627
JAAIES E. BORUFF.
If a resume were to be written of the successful and infiuential attorneys
uf the southern part of Inchana, the name of James E. Boruff. of Eawrence
county, would occui^y a high position. In the le;ral profession he has supple-
mented the practice of the essentials with a wealth of common sense. In
every profession theories and rules cannot he literally interpreted; thev act
as guides alone; the hum-an equation is the force that impels decisions of merit.
In judicious foresight, cool calculation and prorii[)t initiative j\Ir. Boruff has
excelled. Fie stands for the law\er, in the true sense of that word, that is
to say, the man who ad\'Ocates a svmpathetic reviding of the law, and not a
merciless, steely and unyielding interpretation. James E. Boruff has won for
himself a reputation of high integrity, and his <-ourteous, aft'able nature, sa-
^■ored with a Ijrilliant fund of wit, ha\e won f' .r hini countless friends and
clients among the good people of Lawrence county and southern Indiana.
James E. lioruff was liorn on Ai)ril 12, 1862. at Clear Creek, ATonroe
county, Indiana, and is the son of William H. and Margaret E. (Foster)
Boruff, hoth of whom were natives of Alonroe countw William H. Boruff
came from a family who traced their ancestr}- to a sturd_\- (lerman origin, and
was one of a family of sixteen children, twehe hoys and four girls. .Ml of
the sixteen children lived to raise families of tlieir own. William Boruff
entered the agricultural \()cation early in life, as that was the prevailing occu-
pation, and remained active therein until a few years ago, when he retired,
and at the present time lives in Bedford, in his eighty-fifth year. Mrs. Boruff
came from Scotch ancestry, and departed, from thi>' life in the vear 1851. Mr.
and Mrs. Brouft' were hoth loyal members of the Christian church. Eleven
children were horn to this felicitous union, se\en (d' whom are living, namely:
Fred L., of San P>rnandino, California; John I'., of Mount A'ernon. Xew
York; Ray R.. in jjartnership with the subject; Mrs. Addie Lowder, of Bloom-
ington, Monroe county; Mrs. Idora Sisco. of Bedford ; .\nna, also of Bedford,
and Mrs. Xell G. Alexander, of Bedford.
James E. Boruff was born and reared on his father's farm, and attended
the common schools, obtaining an excellent education. He later studied at
the Southern Indiana Normal College, at Alitchell, Indiana. After leaving
the normal, Air. Boruff taught school and, although attaining a large measure
of success in this undertaking, he abandoned it a year later, and came to Bed-
ford and commenced to study law with Judge W. H. Martin. He was admit-
ted to the bar in September, 1884, and has occupied the same office ever since
— even retaining the same waste basket into which he cast his vouthful briefs.
628 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
For a time.' Mr. Buruff was in partnership with his former preceptor, and now
shares his office with his brother, Ray R. Boruff.
James E. Boruff has not only buik around himself great personal success,
but in the actjuiring of the means of sustenance he has been very fortunate.
In politics, Air. Boruff is a staunch Republican, and has stumped the state
several times in the interest of his party. Religiously, he is a member of the
Christian church, and is the teacher of the Brotherhood class, one of the largest
Sundav school classes in the state. Mr. Boruff has been admitted to the bar
in the federal courts, and has practiced in many different states, and with a
uniform deeree of success.
THOMAS N. CHAPMAN.
The following is a brief sketch of one who, by close attention to business,
has achieved marked success in the world's affairs and risen to an honorable
position among the enterprising men of the county with which his interests
are identified. It is a plain record, rendered remarkable by no strange or
mysterious ad\enture, no wonderful and lucky accident and no tragic situation.
Air. Chapman is one of those estimable citizens whose integrity and strong
personality must force them into an admirable notoriety, which their modesty
never seeks, w'ho command the respect of their contemporaries and their pos-
terity and leaye the imjjress of their indiyiduality upon the age in which they
liye.
Thomas X. Chapman, who holds the responsible position of recorder of
Lawrence county, Indiana, was born on July 11, 1882, in Spice Valley town-
ship, this county, and is the son of William H. and Mariah (Hart) Chapman.
The father was born in Martin county, Indiana, on July 2, 1847. and the
mother first saw the light of day in Clark county, this state, in 1850. William
H. Chapman came to Spice X'alley township, Lawrence county, when a boy
of about fourteen \ears, and was so unfortunate as to lose both of his parents
in early youth. After this berea\emeut he went to live with a brother-in-law
on a farm where he remained unil he had attained his majority. He has
followed farming pursuits throughout his active life, and is now a successful
agriculturist and prominent citizen of Spice Valley township, being the owner
of eighty acres of splendid land there. To him and his wife were born nine
children, namely: Ollie, the wife of Charley A. .Smith, of Bedford; Jesse A.,
of Willard, New Mexico ; Pearl, the wife of Albert Sheeks, treasurer of Mar-
tin county, Indiana; Dottie Dell, twin of Pearl, is deceased; the subject of this
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 629
sketch is next in order of birth ; Ruth, the wife of Thomas Selby. of Bedford;
Blanche, the wife of Lawrence Stuhz. of Bedford; Edna and W. M., also of
Bedford.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm on which he was born
until he was nineteen years of age and received a good, practical education
in the public schools of his community. He has iV)llowe(l agricultural pursuits
during nearly all of his active years, though he has l)een to some extent inter-
ested in pul)lic affairs, having served as truant ''tficer for two years for the
county, and in igi2 he was elected county recorder on the Democratic ticket,
although in a county which normally goes Republican by a safe majority.
Prior to his public official position he had been for awhile employed by the
Standard Oil Company. ]\lr. Chapman is tlioroughly familiar with all the
duties of his office, is courteous to all who have dealings with him. and has
proved himself not only an alile. but a popular county official.
^Ir. Chapman was married on July 28. 1903. to Delia Bass, who was born
in the state of Xeliraska. ])ut who was reared near }^litchell, Lawrence county.
Lidiana. They ha\-e become the parents of three children. Owen B., Lewis W.
and AA'. AA'avne. Air. Chapman and his wife have many warm friends and
admirers in Lawrence county and mo\e in the l)est social circles of the com-
munity. Thus far his life has l)een one of streiiuous activity and by reason
of the success with which it has been attended his friends are justified in pre-
dicting for him a future of still greater usefulness and distinction.
TOHX C. KELLY. M. D.
Devoted to the nolile work which his profession implies, the gentleman
whose career we essay to briefly outline in the following paragraphs has been
faithful and indefatigable in his endeavors and lias not only earned the due
rewards of his eft'orts in a temporal way. Init lias also proved himself emi-
nently worthy to exercise the important function-, of his calling, by reason of
his ability, his abiding sympathy and his earnest zeal in lielialf of his fellow
men. His understanding of the science of medicine is regarded by those who
know him as being broad and comprehensive, and the profession and the pub-
lic accord him a distinguished place among the men of his class in Indiana.
His has been a life of earnest and persistent endeavor, such as always brings
a true appreciation of the real value of human existence — a condition that
must be prolific of good results in all the relations of life.
630 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Dr. John C. Kelly, one of the best known professional men at Mitchell,
Indiana, was born in this city on November 13, 1858. and is the son of David
Kelly. The latter was born on December 11, 1827, in Jackson county, Indiana,
a son of James and Ann (Smith) Kelly, both natives of the state of Virginia.
James Kellv was an early settler of this county, where he followed farming.
His death occurred in 1838. To him and his wife were born four children,
three sons and a daughter, all of whom are deceased. David Kelly received
onlv a common school education and in young manhood he started to learn
the trade of a tailor in Clark count}-, Indiana, at which he worked until 1850.
when he took a contract to construct a part of the Jeffersonville, Madison &
Indianapolis railroad, in which he was fairly successful. He later owned
stores at different localities, and in 1857 he came to ]\Iitchell and opened a
store. In 1862, after the outI)reak of the Southern rebellion, Mr. Kelly left
his stock of goods and enlisted in the army, ha\'ing raised Company H, Sixty-
seventh Regiment Indiana Infantry. He was commissioned a major and
served faithfullv and courageoush in defense of his country until 1865. He
was in the ])attle of Mumfordsville, and was there captured and paroled, after-
wards taking part in the battles of Arkansas Post, the siege of Vicksburg,
where he received the flag of truce, the Red River campaign, and at Grand
Coteau was captured and held a prisoner for two months. He was made pro-
vost marshal of the river department, with headquarters at New Orleans, in
which he rendered valiant and faithful service for the Union cause. After
his return from the army he operated a flouring mill at Mitchell for several
years, but, selling this in 1894, he gave his attention to the operation of his
farm. He was a staunch Republican and, religiously, was a member of the
Baptist church. On June 18. 1837, in Washington county, Indiana, he mar-
ried Caroline Kell}', the daughter of John and Minerva ( Jenks ) Kelly, of
Lawrence county, Indiana, who were the parents of one son and four daugh-
ters, of whom but one is now li\ing, Mrs. Sarah Edwards, the widow of
Allen Edwards, of Mitchell, Indiana. The subject's father died on November
23, 1911, and the mother on March 24, 1910. They were the parents of the
following children; John C, the immediate subject of this sketch; Lillian L.,
who died at the age of six years; Jesse E., who died in 1885, was a successful
merchant of Mitchell; James E., who was a telegraph operator, now living in
Mitchell, married Nora ]Moore and they have two sons, John E. and James.
The subject of this sketch recei\ed his elementary education in the public
schools of his home neighborhood and during 1875 and 1876 was a student
in Franklin College, later taking a course in Eastman's Business College at
Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1876 he learned to be a telegraph operator and
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 63 1
in 1877 he was operator for the Ohio & Mississippi Raih'oad Company at
Washington, Indiana, and two years later hecame operator for what is now
the Monon railroad at Mitchell, where he remained eight months. He then
went to Denver, Colorado, as clerk in the freight office for the Denver & Rio
Grande Railroad, remaining there six months, and in 1883 went to Leadville
as train dispatcher for that road serving in that capacity until November,
1884. He then became acting train master and chief dispatcher at Leadville.
In 1886 he was made chief clerk of the Colorado 2\lidland Railroad, and in
1888 was promoted to local freight agent for the Colorado Midland Railroad
at Leadville. In 1892 he was made train dispatcher of the Mexican National
Railroad, being located in the city of ^Mexico one year, at the expiration of
which time he relinquished his connection with the railroad operations. Mr.
Kelly had long had a strong desire to make the practice of medicine his life
work and to this end during 1880 and 1882 he had attended the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, Maryland, and in 1889 he took a course
of medical lectures at the University of Louisville. He has been located at
Mitchell in the active practice of his profession for many years, but has not
been content with the technical knowledge which he received at the beginning
of his professional studies, for, realizing that there is constant advancement
in the science of medicine as well as in other lines of human knowledge, he
has aimed to keep himself constantly in touch with advanced medical thought
and practice, and to this end he took post-graduate courses in Xew \lork
medical institutions in 1890, 1891, 1892, 1897 and 1899, and in the latter
year was resident physician of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital at
Chicago. In 1909 he attended a post-graduate course at the West London
Hospital, London, England, and in the summer of 1911 he attended a sum-
mer course in medicine at Harvard Medical College. While he carries on a
general practice of medicine. Doctor Kelly specializes in diseases of the eye,
ear, nose and throat, in which he has gained an enviable reputation because
of the splendid success which has accompanied hi^ efforts and his practice in
these special lines including not onlv Lawrence, hut many adjoining" counties-.
He is a member of the Lawrence County Medical Society, tlie Indiana State
Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and is also a life
member of the \'ienna (Austria) American Medical Association. Doctor
Kelly is a man of ardent nature, scrupulously conscientious in all that he says
and does, and always deeply imbued with the courage of his convictions, and
his relations with his fellow men have ever been such as to win and retain
their confidence and esteem.
On July 13, 1899, Doctor Kelly was married to Mrs. Nora Williams, of
632 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Mitchell, the widow of George E. Williams, tlie daughter of Moses and Nancy
(Gofif) Ln\e. residents of Mitchell, where the father, during his active years,
was a successful li\er)- man, he and his wife both being now^ deceased. To
this union three children ha\e been born, John C. deceased; Carolyn and Rob-
ert H. Mrs. Kelly had by lier former marriage one child, Bonnie B., who is
now the wife of Lawrence A. Wood, principal of the high school at Loogootee,
Indiana.
Politically, Doctor Kelly is an earnest advocate of Republican principles
and takes an acti\e interest in ]w!)lic affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of
the Independent Order of Odd bellows at Mitchell, and of the Phi Delta
Theta fraternity of bVanklin College. Religiou.-.;y, his wife is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal church at Mitchell.
JOHN WILLIAM O'HARROW.
In placing the subject of this sketch in the front rank of Bloomington's
business men, simple justice is done to a biographical fact universally recog-
nized throughout Monroe county by all familiar with his history. A man of
judgment, sound discretion, thorough technical knowledge and business ability
of a high order, he has managed his affairs with splendid success and has so
impressed his individuality upon the community as to gain recognition among
its leading citizens and public-spirited men of affairs.
John W. O'Harrow was born on July 11, 1861, in Greene county, Indi-
ana, and is the son of John and INIargaret (Shivehy) O'Harrow. The father,
wdio w-as a native of Hagerstown, Maryland, came to Indiana in 1859, and
here engaged in farming up to the time of his death. He was a strong Demo-
crat in his political views, though never an aspirant for public office, and he
stood high in the community, being well liked by all who knew him. The
subject's mother, who was a native of Ohio, came to Indiana with her hus-
band and is deceased. They w^ere the parents of five children, John W.,
Mary Kate, Cleve, Minnie M. and Elmer. All of these children are now
deceased, but the subject and Minnie M.
John W. O'Harrow received a good practical education in the common
schools of his native county, and then went to Indianapolis, where he entered
the employ of the wholesale drug firm of Kiefer & Company as inside clerk.
He remained with that firm from 1885 to 1898, gaining much valuable experi-
ence in business methods and a good practical knowledge of drugs and kin-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 633
dred lines. In 1898 Mr. O'Harrow came to Bloomington and bought the
Lindley drug store, on the south side of the public square, where he has re-
mained to the present time. He carries a large and carefully selected line of
drugs and druggists' sundries, which are attractively displayed, and by his
earnest efforts to please all who enter his store and his sound business judg-
ment, he has met with well deserved success in this enterprise, being now gen-
erally considered the leading druggist of Monroe county.
On July 22, 1892. at Worthington, Indiana, Mr. O'Harrow was married
to Cora A. East, the daughter of Thomas J. and Susan (Milam) East. Her
father, who was a native of Greene county, Indiana, was a brother of Hughes
East, who was private secretar}^ to Vice-President Thomas A. Hendricks.
Thomas J. East was for many years engaged in the real estate business, but is
now retired from active pursuits. He is a Democrat in his political belief.
His wife, who also is still living, is a native of Greene county, Indiana. To
Mr. and Mrs. O'Harrow have been born three children, John W., Jr., Edgar
A. and Marguerite.
Politically, Mr. O'Harrow has been a life-long Democrat and has taken
an active part in advancing the interests of his party in this county. Fra-
ternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the
Knights of Pythias and the Free and Accepted Masons, having in the last-
named order attained to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He
is also a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, belonging to ]\Iurat Temple at Indi-
anapolis. Religiously, his sympathies are with the Presl)yterian church, in
which he was reared, but he has never formally identified himself with any
church. As a citizen he stands high in the esteem of his fellow men, being
public spirited and progressive, and at all times willing to lend his aid and
influence in behalf of enterprises for the material advancement of his city and
county, and for the intellectual, social and moral good of the people.
FRED B. OTIS.
Fred B. Otis was Irorn Feljruar_\ 28, 1863. in Bedford, Indiana, the oldest
child and onlv son of Charles H. and Adeline ( Colegrove) Otis, their other
children being Harriet L., Frances Z. and ]\Iartha A. Otis. He received only
a few years' instruction in the public schools, but had access to many good
books, for the family, though very poor, was not illiterate, his father being a
well read man, with an especial taste for the poets. Fred began employment in
634 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the Bedford printing offices in 1879, as a roller boy at the Washington hand
presses with which all country newspapers were then printed, and after about
one vear secured an opportunity to learn t}-pesetting in the office of the Bedford
Banner, conducted by Charles L. Yockey, with Harry S. Osborne as com-
tracted the attention of his employers. In February, 1889, Frank B. Hitch-
positor and pressman. In due time he became a fast and accurate compositor,
a good pressman and de\eloped a knack of writing up local e\'ents that at-
cock, wlio was half owner of the Bedford Mail, bought cut the other half
interest, owned by the widow of his former partner, Harry S. Osborne, and
sold it to Mr. Otis on easy terms, in order to get a competent manager for the
printing office, Mr. Hitchcock having l)een elected county superintendent of
■ichools. Mr Otis retained the half interest, and soon after the death of Mr.
Hitchcock, in 1896, l)ecame associated with Thomas J. Brooks in the ownership
of the paper.
Hosea Otis, grandfather of the suliject of this sketch, came to Bedford in
the latter part of 1836, from Massachusetts; his wife, .\melia Bishop, a native
of Danbury, Connecticut, lieiug a sister of Samuel D. Bishop, one of the
pioneers of Lawrence county, who was a cari)enter, and completed the court
house at Palestine after the first contractors had failetl. The Otis family was
of English Puritan descent, originally from Somersetshire, but came to Ameri-
ca from Glastonbury Ijetween 1633 and 1635, settling at Hingham, Massa-
chusetts, on an eminence overlooking the bay that is still known as Otis
Hill. The first American-born ancestor of the subject was Joseph Otis, who
was iudge of the court of common ])leas at Plymouth, Massachusetts, from
1703 to 1714. His descendants intermarried with the descendants of the first
settlers of Plymouth for se\-eral generations, and a study of the family
genealog\- shows it to be directly descended from John Alden and Priscilla
Mullins. and from Richard Warren through two daughters, Ann and ]\Iary.
During the war of the Revolution James Otis, an eighteen-year old l)oy (who
was a secontl cousin of the patriot orator. James Otis), ran away from his
father's farm near \ew London, Connecticut, and joined Benedict Arnold's
expedition to Ouel:;ec. sharing in all the hardships of that ill-fated enterprise.
Pie was a grandson of Judge Joseph Otis, of Plymouth, and great-great-
grandfather of the subject.
Amelia BLshop, wife of Hosea Otis, and grandmother of Fred B. Otis,
was a granddaughter of Silvanns Bishop, who conducted a famous tavern at
Bantam, near Litchfield, Connecticut, known as the Pine Tree House. When
the Revolution broke out he became an ardent Tory, and the Liberty boys
raided his tavern, taking all his fine pewter tableware to melt into patriot
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 635
bullets. Silvanus' wife, Sarah Beecher, was an aunt of Lyman Beecher,
father of Henry Ward Beecher and ^Irs. Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Adeline Colegrove, mother of Fred B. Otis, was descended from Francis
Colegrove, who was born at Swansea, Wales, and settletl in Warwick. Rhode
Island, about 1680-83. Nearly all the families in the Fnited States known
as Colegrove. Colgrove and Colgrave are descended from this ancestor. The
first-born of the family in America was killed at the storming of Port Royal,
Nova Scotia, in 1710, in one of the colonial wars. Caleb Colegrove, grand-
father of Adeline. ser\ed in the v.ar of 1812. at Sackett's Harbor. Caleb's
father, Stephen Colegro\e. was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Gen-
eral Silas Colgrove, of Indiana, who achieved fame in the war of the Re-
bellion, was Adeline's distant cousin.
fOHX W. ACOAM.
Lawrence county was not lacking in loyalty during the dark davs of the
Rebellion, when the ship of state was almost stranded on the rocks of disunion,
but contributed her full quota of brave and valiant men to assist in preserving
the integrity of the g(jvernment, prominent among whom was the well known
gentleman and enterprising citizen whose name appears at the head of this
review. Loyal to his country in its hour of peril and extremity, as was
demonstrated on many bloody battle fields, he ha^ e\er ])een its staunch sup-
porter in times of peace, and today there are few ex-soldiers of the county as
widely and fa\-orably known and none that can Ijoast of a more honorable
record. The ranks of the noble organization to which he belonged in the days
of his youth are fast being decimated by the one invincible foe, and it is fitting
that in every publication of the nature of this volume special tribute be paid
to those who served during the greatest civil war known to historv.
John W. Acoam was born on ]\Iay 15. 1841, in Bedford. Indiana, and
is a son of Joseph and Catherine ( Wilder ) Acoam. the father a native of
Virginia and the mother of Kentucky. They came to Lawrence county. In-
diana, about 1832. and settled at Bedford, where the father followed -his
trade, that of harness and saddle making. He was an industrious and honest
man. and during his residence here he gained a high standing in the esteem of
his fellow citizens. His death occurred at Bedford in 1849, ^^ the early age
of thirty-six years, and he was survived over half a century by his widow,
who died in 1902 at the advanced age of eighty-five years. She was an ear-
636 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
nest and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a
woman of high personal character. To Joseph and Catherine Acoam were
born six children, namely: Hardin P.. whn is now deceased, was a plasterer
in Bedford: Laura, who remained unmarried, is living in Bedford; Nancy,
who lives in Indianapolis, is the widow of George Carroll: Alary E., widow of
William Butler, late of Bedford ; Henry, deceased, who was a veteran of the
Civil war, afterwards lived in Bedford: John W'., the immediate subject of
this sketch, who was the third child in order of Ijirth.
John W. Acoam had but little opportunities for securing an education,
the same being limited to a few years in the pulilic schools. At the early age
of fifteen years he started to leani the harness and saddle-making trade in the
shop of Leach & Davis at Bedford, and was thus employed when the Civil
war broke out and Mr. Acoam gave practical evidence of his loyalty and
patriotism Ijy enlisting on August 12, 1862, in Company G, Fourth Indiana
Cavaliy. The command was sent iirst to Evansville, where they drew sup-
plies, and then went to Henderson and W'adsworth, Kentucky, and on to
Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee, where they remained
about ten days, beings engaged mainlv in skirmish duty. From there they
were sent on to Nashville and ]\lurfreesl:)ort), where they joined the army under
General Rosecrans, with whom they went south to Marietta, Georgia. They
took part in all the campaigns and other arduous campaign duties of that year
until they reached Huntsville, Alal^ama, where the subject was captured and
the following nineteen months were spent bv him amid the terrible experi-
ences of the Southern prison pens. He was confined first for eight months at
Danville and the last eleven months of his incarceration was in notorious An-
dersonville jjrison, where, under the inhuman administration of Alajor \A'irtz,
he endured all the horrors for which that famous prison pen was noted. Dur-
ing a large part of the time which he was confined there Air. Acoam was sick
and contracted rheumatism and scur\y, from which he suffered a great deal.
He was released from the Andersonville prison on August 18, 1864, and soon
afterwards at Jacksonville, Florida, he was discharged from the service and
given transportation home. I'or many years af<-er his return home he felt
the ill effects of the terriljle experiences through which he had passed while
in. the Southland. After his return home he followed harness making at Bed-
ford, being located on Sixteenth street until he retired from active business
and his son is now following the same occupation at the old stand. In the
past seventeen years Air. Acoam has lived at No 1727 O street and is now
enjoying that rest which his years of honest effort have so richly earned for
him.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 637
Mr. Acoam has been twice married, first in 1865 to Clara ]\Ialott, a native
of Lawrence county, Indiana, and after lier death he married, on August 25,
1895, Catherine Leach, of Bedford, the daui^hter of John ancl Frances
(Phipps) Lleron, of ]\Iartin county, Indiana, where the father was a successful
farmer. Both are now deceased. They were the parents of six children,
namel}- : Daniel, who died while in the army ; Alexander, who was killed in
a railroad accident in St. Louis: Lewis, deceased: John, deceased; Nancy, the
wife of John Stout, of Elnora, Indiana, and Catherine. ]Mrs. Acoam. To the
subject's first union was born a son, Harry M., who is a harness maker in
Bedford and who married L^la Hoopengarner. To the subject's present union
has been born a daughter, Ora, who is the wife of John L. Miller, of Bedford,
and they have three children, Catherine, Ora and, ]\Iahel.
Fraternally, Mr. Acoam has been for over a half century a member of
Lodge Xo. 177, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Bedford, and has
taken an appreciati\e interest in the workings of this order. He is also a
member of E. C. Xewland Post Xo. J47, Grand Army of the Republic, at
Bedford. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Christian church
at Bedford, to which they give a generous support. Mr. Acoam is very wadely
known throughout Lawrence county and has a large circle of warm and loval
friends who esteem him not onl}- for his record as a defender of his country
in the hour of her need. Init also for his splendid record as a business man
and prixate citizen.
SILAS XEWTOX WHITTED.
The best title one can estal)lish to the high and generous esteem of an
intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. Silas
Xewton W'hitted, one of the best known and highly esteemed men of Law-
rence county, has resided in this locality all his life and his career has been a
most commendable one in every respect, well de;.er\-ing of being perpetuated
on the pages of a historical work of the nature of the one in hand. Like his'
sterling father before him, he has been a man of well defined purpose and
never failed to carry to successful completion an\- work of enterprise to which
he addressed himself. Beginning life in a new countrv and under many unfa-
vorable auspices, he let nothing deter him and before the lapse of many years
he had a fine farm under cultivation. Knowing that the country was destined
to take a high rank in the productive and rich localities of the North, he
applied himself very closely to his work and waited for the future to bring
its rewards, and todav he is one of the substantial men of hiscountv.
638 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Silas Xewton W'liitted was 1)()rn in Shawswick township, Lawrence
county, Indiana, on L)c-cenil)er 29, I1S33. He is descended from a sterling line
of pioneer ancestry, his grandfather. Hon. Joli"' Whitted. having come to
Lawrence countv in 1816 and being the first of the family to settle in this
locality. He was a native of North Carolina, where he married Ruth Allen,
and together they drove through with wagon and teams, settling four and
one-half miles east of Bctlford, where Mr. Whitted obtained a tract of govern-
ment land. Subse(|uently he moved to another farm one and one-half miles
east of his first homestead, wliere, on one hundred and sixty acres of good
land, he spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1866 at the age of eighty-
five }-ears. His first wife had died some years i)re\-ious and he married Vinie
Allen and after her death he chose Susan Clayton, a native of X'orth Carolina.
All three wiws died on the last named farm. Mr. Whitted was a successful
farmer and also took a deep interest in the ad\'ancement of the communitv in
man\- wa\s. l)eing a prominent figure in the earlv events of that localitv. He
was a ])rominent meml)er of the Methodist h^piscopal church, in which he was
a local preacher, though earlier in life lie had been a Dunkard. He also en-
gaged to some extent in teaching school. I'oliticallv, he was a \\']ng and sen-ed
as judge of the circuit court. To his first union were born eight children,
Thomas, Zachariah, John, Lewis, Tolly, Jennie, Lliza and one other, and to
the second union were born three children, Ceoige, Lorenzo Dow and one
who died in infanc\-. .\ot only was Mr. A\'liitted active in the public affairs
of his community, but his ])ri\ate life was above '"eproach and in the circles in
which he nio\ ed he was po])ular l)ecause of h'.> genial (pialities and clean
character.
The subject of this sketch received a linntetl education in the common
.schools of his home neighborhood, the nearest school house being located some
distance from his home, to which the pathway led through a dense woods, but
those were incidents common to life in the earlv davs of Indiana. .\t the
age of eighteen years Mr. Whitted took up farming on his own account and
operated at different places until the age of twenty-one years, in 1859, when
he and Cieorge Whitted accpiired the ownership of a saw and grist mill on
Guthrie creek, which they operated for two years. Mr. Whitted's plans were
interrupted, howe\er, l)y the opening of hostilities in the Southland, and in
September, i8C)i, he enlisted as a private in Company B, Twenty-seventh
Regiment Indiana X'olunteer Infantry, at Bedford, Indiana. The command
was sent to Washington, D. C , and there was assigned to the Army of the
Potomac, with which it took part in four important battles, those at Ball's
Bluffs, \Mnchester, Cedar Mountain and Antietam, besides which they partici-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 639
pated in a niimlDer of se\'ere skirmishes and other minor en,<<a,>^"ements. At
the first hattle of Cedar Monntain Mr. W'hitted was wonnded l:)y a piece of
shell which strnck him in the left hip and on Sejjtemher 17, 1862, he was
wonnded at Antietam, l)eing shot through the left leg below the knee and
was in a hospital at Baltimore, Maryland, for four months, and in the winter
of 1863 was discharged because of physical disal)ility and returned to his
home, where for several months he was unlit for active laljor because of his
v/ounds. When sufficiently recovered }.lr. Whitted again took up farming in
Shawswick township, Lawrence count}-, about six miles east of Bedford, this
tract comprising a part of the okl homestead. To the inipro\-ement and cul-
ti\-ation of this place he persistently applied hiiiiself for about fortv vears,
when, having accumulated a sufficiency of this world's goods to relieve him
from further embarrassment, he retired from active labor and came to Bed-
ford in IQOI, where he has since li\'ed. He is a man of good Ijusiness quali-
ties and indefatigalile industrw elements whicli (■..•ntributed materially to the
success which crowned his active efforts.
Politically, Mr. Whitted is a staunch Rei)ul;!ican and has always taken
a commendable interest in pulilic afi^airs, especia'ly relating to local matters,
but has never aspired to office for himself. Socially, he is a member of the
(irand .Vrnn- of the Re])ul)lic ])ost at Bedford, wiule his religous memljership
is with the Methodist episcopal cliurch, of which he is a regular attendant.
Personally, he is keenlv alixe to all the current questions of the day, is well
read and kee])s well informed as to the latest advances in current thought.
Physically, he is well preserved and is as alert .'is most men many years his
junior.
Mr. Wdiitted has been twice married, first to Elizabeth lulwards, of Law-
rence county, the daughter of Xewland and iNL'Tgaret (Johnson) Edwards,
who were natives of Xorth Carolina and earlv settlers of Lawrence county,
having settled in Shawswick townshi]). Both are now deceased. To Mr. and
Mrs. Whitted were born ten children : Wesley, jeiiiiie, Maude, John and Lewis
are deceased: Charles is a uunister of tlie Metho.list kq)iscopal church, being
now located at Elliottsville, Indiana: l^dwin is living at X'elonia, Indiana, and"
is also a preacher of the Methodist church: Lawrence is a stone worker and
lives at Coxton, Indiana: Lucy, the wife of Fred MascMi, of Oolitic, Indiana,
and Ira Chase, a barber at Bedford. ?\Irs. Elizabeth Whitted died in 1884
and for his second wife Mr. Whitted chose Susan E. Allen, the witlow of
William Allen, of Lawrence county, and the daughter of Henderson and Clem-
entine Woody, of Lawrence county. To the second union no children have
been born.
640 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
JOSEPH G. McPHEETERS.
A representative of one of the old families of this locality and himself a
life-long resident of Bloomington, no citizen of ]\Ionroe county enjoys to a
higher degree the genuine esteem and contidence of the people at large than
the subject of this sketch. For many years an incumbent of public position,
the duties of which he discharged with eminent ability and honor to himself,
he has in his personal efiforts met with eminent success and as a business man
and citizen of Bloomington he stands deservedly high.
Mr. McPheeters was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on August 26, 1839,
and is the son of Joseph and Clara Ann ( Dunn) McPheeters. The father,
who was an eminent physician and surgeon of Bloomington for fiftv years,
was numbered among the leading citizens in the early days, when men of
strength and courage were required. He was the father of four children :
Lizzie M., Joseph G., Mattie E. and Charles H. He was a Republican in
politics and in the early days he held many local offices. He was at one time
the candidate of his party for state senator, but was defeated by four votes.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools and later
became a student in the State University, but on account of ill health was
compelled to relinquish his studies the year before he would have graduated.
He engaged as a clerk in a drug store, where he remained about three years
and then during the following three years was in the United States mail ser-
vice between Louisville and Chicago, that being during the war of the Rebel-
lion. Mr. McPheeters was then appointed postmaster at Bloomington, and in
this position achieved a splendid record, for he was retained in the office by
continuous reappointment for the long period of twenty-eight years, which,
at the time he retired from the office, was an unequaled record among post-
masters in the United States. His commission was signed by seven Presidents
and the duties of the office were discharged in a manner that never merited
censure by his superior officers. Upon retiring from the postmastership Mr.
McPheeters established his present book and stationery store on the east side
of the public square, where he carries a stock valued at over five thousand
dollars, consisting of books, stationery, fancy goods and regular college sup-
plies. He is a man of good business qualifications, courteous to all who have
dealings with him, and, because of his splendid official record and his high
character, as well as the success to which he is now attaining, he enjoys to a
marked degree the confidence and good will of the entire community.
In 1872 ]\Ir. McPheeters married Amelia R. Collins, whose father was
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 64I
a prominent attorney at Terre Haute. Politically, ]Mr. ]\IcPheeters is an
ardent supporter of the Republican party, and though he has never been a
seeker after public office, he was appointed United States commissioner and
held the office for fifteen years. For twelve years he was treasurer of the
Bloomington Building Association,' and in other ways has been a potential
factor in the building up and development of Bloomington. Fraternally, he
is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, maintaining a live interest in the workings of these orders, in
the membership of which he holds a high standing. ^Ir. McPheeters' life
has been controlled by proper motives, and in his relations with his fellow men
he has been actuated by the highest ideals, so that among those who know him
best he is numbered among the communitv's leading citizens.
JAMES K. OWENS.
The Union soldier during the great war between the states builded wiser
than he knew. Through four years of suffering and wasting hardships,
through the horrors of prison pens and amid the shadows of death, he laid
the superstructure of the greatest temple ever erected and dedicated to human
freedom. The world looked on and called those soldiers sublime, for it was
theirs to reach out the mighty arm of power and strike the chains from off
the slave, preserve the country from dissolution, and to keep furled to the
breeze the only flag that e^•er made tyrants tremble and whose majestic
stripes and scintillating stars are still waving universal liberty to all the earth.
For all the unmeasured deeds the living present will never repay them. Pen-
sion and political power may be thrown at their feet; art and sculpture may
preserve upon canvas and in granite and bronze their unselfish deeds ; history
may commit to books and cold type may give to the future the tale of their
sufferings and triumphs ; but to the children of the generations yet imborn
will it remain to accord the full measure of appreciation and undving re-
membrance of the immortal character carved out by the American soldiers
in the dark days of the early sixties, numbered among whom was the gentle-
man whose name appears at the head of this sketch.
James K. Owens, who is now living in honorable retirement at his com-
fortable home in Bedford, Indiana, was born in ^^^ayne countv, Kentuckv, on
the 17th dav of August, 1844. He is the son of Washington and Peggv
(41)
642 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
(Anderson) Owens, the former a native of the state of North Carolina and
the latter of good old Irish stock. The subject's paternal grandfather was
Joseph Owens, while his maternal grandfather was John Anderson, a native
of Ireland. These gentlemen respectively located in Kentucky, where they
spent the remainder of their lives and died.' Washington Owens, the subject's
father, received but a limited education and during his life time devoted him-
self to farming pursuits and also operated a large distillery on his farm.
Eventually he went to Arkansas and later to Dallas, Texas, during the war,
dying in that state. His wife had died in Kentucky. The subject of this
sketch was their only child, and at the age of seventeen years he left home,
he and his father having had some differences of opinion because of the fact
that the subject wished to enlist in the Union army, against which his father
protested. However, in August. 1862, James K. Owens enlisted as a private
in the Thirty-second Regiment, Kentucky Volvmteer Infantry, at Danville,
under Captain Harrison Hert, and was commissioned a corporal. His first
period of enlistment having expired, he was mustered out in 1863, but on
August 13th of the same year he re-enlisted as a private in Company E. Thir-
teenth Regiment of Cavalry, under Captain William D. Lowe, with which
lie served until January 10, 1865, when, at Camp Nelson in Kentucky, he
was honorably discharged. During his first enlistment he served in Kentucky,
Tennessee and Ohio, being principally assigned to scout duty, while during his
second enlistment he did scout and skirmish duty, being engaged at Killing's
Salt Works, Lookout Mountain, Perrysville, Traversville. and was with
General Sherman during his celebrated campaign. After the close of the war
Mr. Owens came to Lawrence county, Indiana, and locating at Leesville, was
engaged in farming for a year. Lie then went home and for seven years
operated a farm, at the end of wliich time he came to Bedford, Indiana, and
was employed in the stone quarry for fifteen years. Later he engaged in the
timlx'r business, in which his business attained to extensive proportions and in
which he was very prosperous, so that in 1908 he was enabled to retire from
an active business life and has since been spending his time quietly at his
home at No. 718 J street, Bedford, where is enjoying the fruits of his former
years of toil.
On March 24, 1861, Mr. Ouens married Angeletty Sutherland, of
Wayne county, Kentucky, a daughter of Jonathan and Polly (Washburn)
Sutherland, of that county, where they lived and died, the father having been
a blacksmith and a first-class workman in every respect. Mr. and Mrs.
living, Charles, a farmer living at Dallas, Texas, and Mrs. Owens. To Mr.
and Mrs. Owens were born three children: Charles W., a railroad enijineer
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 643
for many years, resides in Bedford, Indiana; he married Mary Young and
they have three children, Roman, Hubert and Ralph ; Roxie Ann Owens is the
widow of John Masterson, of Salem, Washington county, Indiana, who was
Sutherland were the parents of twelve children, of whom only two are now
a bridge carpenter and also an expert shorthand writer. Mrs. Masterson,
who is now living in Indianapolis, is the mother of one child, Lorrie; Eva
Owens is the widow of C. Carson and she has one child, Oliver F. They make
their home with her father, the subject.
Fraternally, Mr. Owens is a member of the Grand Army of the Re-
public at Bedford, Indiana, while Mrs. Owens belongs to the auxiliary order,
the Ladies' Relief Corps. Mr. Owens was a delegate to the state encampment
of the Grand Army at Indianapolis, Terre Haute and Crawfordsville. Re-
ligiously, Mr. and Mrs. Owens are earnest and faithful niemliers of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church and in their daily lives e\em])lifv tlie principle of the
religion which they profess. They are both people n\ I)r()ad sympathies and
take an abiding interest in the welfare of those about them, and. because of
the genial dispositions and high character, they enjoy a large popularity in
the community where they have spent so many vears.
REV. M. C. CLARK.
There is no earthly station higher than the ministry of the Gospel; no
life can be more uplifting and grander than that which is devoted to the
amelioration of the human race, a life of sacrifice for the betterment of the
brotherhood of man, one that is willing to cast aside all earthly crowns and
laurels of fame in order to follow in the footsteps of the lowly Nazarene.
It is not possible to measure adequately the height, depth and breadth of such
a life, for its influences continue to permeate the lives of others through suc-
ceeding generations, so the power it has can not be known until the "last
great day when the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incor-
ruptible." One of the self-sacrificing, ardent, loyal and true spirits that has
been a blessing to the race, who has left in his wake an influence that ever
makes the world brighter and betters the lives of those who follow, is the
Rev. Milton C. Clark, whose life forcibly illustrates what energy, integrity
and a fixed purpose can accomplish when animated by noble aims and correct
ideals. He has ever held the unequivocal confidence and esteem of the peo-
ple among whom he labored, and his career can be very profitably studied by
the ambitious youth standing at the parting of the ways.
644 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Milton C. Clark is a native of the old Blue Grass state of Kentucky,
where he was born on March 6, 1833, and is the son of James A. and Cather-
ine Preston, both of whom were also natives of Jessamine county, Kentucky.
The father, who followed agricultural pursuits, was a member of the Mis-
sionary Baptist church and took a large interest in church work, being a man
of exalted character, high ideals and much intellectual attainment. He and
his wife are both now deceased, his death occurring in 1868; and his wife
passing away in 1871. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom
four are now living, namely: Milton C, the subject of this sketch; John
Wesley, a retired farmer now living at Birmingham, Alabama; Martha A.,
the wife of John Crawford, of Fisher, Iowa, and Matilda C, the wife of
John Lawson, of Mercer county, Kentucky.
The subject of this sketch received his educational training in the public
schools of his home neighborhood and engaged in teaching for five years. In
his boyhood he was bound out to learn the blacksmith's trade, serving three
years as an apprentice, and then for twelve years worked at that trade, or
until his health failed, when he was confined to his bed for four months.
From his boyhood he had taken a deep interest in spiritual matters and, hav-
ing determined to preach the Gospel, he was ordained as a preacher in the
Missionary Baptist church at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, in February, 1856,
and from that time on until his retirement from the ministry in 191 1 he was
an earnest, faithful and devoted minister of the Gospel. No hardships were
too severe, no labor too arduous, no demands too exacting, for he was ever
ready and willing to answer any call in behalf of those who needed spiritual
advice or consolation and through the years he wielded an influence for good
that can never be measured by finite standards of value. As a preacher, Rev.
Clark is forceful and ofttimes eloquent and wherever his labors called him he
gave the best there was in him to the cause in which he was engaged, proving
not only a successful preacher and pastor, but popular among the people
whom he served.
On August 12, 1862, Mr. Clark gave practical evidence of his patriotic
spirit by enlisting in Company F, Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, which was raised
in Mercer county, that state, and the command immediately went to the
front, being encamped for awhile at Nashville. There Mr. Clark was ap-
pointed chaplain and served in that capacity up to the time of his discharge
in July. 1864. At the battle of Chickamauga on September 28, 1863, he was
severely wounded by a gunshot through the lower jaw and was confined to
Hospital No. 4, at Louisville. Kentucky, for a long time. He also served as
chaplain of the Sixth Regiment Kentucky Cavalry. After his discharge from
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 645
the army Mr. Clark located in Memphis, Indiana, but two years later was
called to the church at Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he served four years and
then went successively to Scotland, Greene county, Indiana; Sullivan, In-
diana; Gosport, Indiana; Taylorsville, Illinois; Waverly, Illinois; Carlins-
ville, Illinois; Montgomery county, Illinois, where he served the Boadarch
church, and then back to Waverly and to Camden, Indiana, where he served
five vears, after which he was pastor at Sharon, Indiana. During his pasto-
rate at Scotland he organized the Missionary Baptist church at Bloomfield.
Indiana, and helped to build a house of worship.
After an absence of twentv years he was called back there, and min-
istered for five years. He then went to Campbellsburg, Indiana, and from
there to Orleans, where he lived until coming to Bedford, where he has since
resided, having retired from the active ministry after fifty-four years of
faithful service. Because of his faithful labors and successful pastorates, he
is widely known throughout this part of the country and has probably as
large a circle of acquaintances and friends as anv man in this locality.
Mr. Clark has been married six times, first time on January 20, 1854, to
Lucv Burton, who died in New Albany, Indiana, in 1865, leaving five chil-
dren, namelv: Hutoka, the wife of John Hankins, of Carlinville, Illinois,
who have five children; Benjamin F., a contractor at .St. Charles. Missouri;
James A., a farmer in Macoupin county, Illinois; John B., a farmer in Greene
county, Indiana, and William B., who has been engaged in the civil service
for the past thirty-five years at Centralia, Illinois. For his second wife Mr.
Clark chose Catherine Powell, the widow of John Powell, to which union
no children were born. For his third wife Mr. Clark married Martha A.
Hilburn, the widow of Jasper Hilburn : four children were born to this
union, namelv: Kate, who became the wife of Virgie Braskill, a farmer in
Carroll county, Indiana; Grace T., the wife of Claude Morgan, of Bedford,
Indiana; Charles Milton, a Baptist preacher at Verona, Wisconsin, who mar-
ried Nora Coakley, and they have two children, Hamilton and David; Riley
W., a preacher in the Baptist church at Rockville. Indiana. For his fourth
wife Rev. Clark married Mahala McCracken. the widow of George Mc-
Cracken, and after her death he married Eliza Lee. the widow of Dr. Finley
Lee. Mrs. Eliza Clark died at Orleans, Indiana, and subsequently Mr. Clark
married Mrs. Millie Kern, the widow of Cornelius Kern, of Bedford. In-
diana, the daughter of David and Hannah (Rainy) Sears. The father was a
native of North Carolina and the mother of Tennessee, who moved to Ken-
tucky after their marriage and later to Fayetteville. Indiana, where the father
followed farming and where he and his wife died.
646 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Mr. Clark is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at
Bedford, among whose members he is held in the highest regard. His long
and useful life as a worker in the cause of his Master has been one of de-
votion, even consecration to his calling and well does he merit a place of
honor in every history touching upon the lives and deeds of those who have
given the best of their powers and talents for the aiding and betterment of
their kind. He has been in the most significant sense humanity's friend, and
to those familiar with his life there comes a feeling of reverence in contem-
plating his services and their beneficial results.
MITCHELL R. CiUTHRIE.
It is the progressive, wide-awake man of affairs that makes the real his-
tory of a community and his ini^uence as a potential factor of the body politic
is difficult to estimate. The examples such men furnish of patient purpose
and steadfast integrity strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to
accomplish, but there is always a full measure vi satisfaction in adverting,
even in a casual way, to their achievements in advancing the interests of their
fellow men and in giving strength and solidity to the institutions which make
so much for the prosperity of the comnuinity. Such a man is Mitchell R.
Guthrie, a real estate and insurance man of Bedford, and it is eminently
proper that a review of his career he accorded a place among the representa-
tive citizens of the city and county in which he resides.
Mitchell R. Guthrie is descended from a sterling line of ancestors, his
grandfather, Daniel Guthrie, having been a native of Lee county, A^irginia.
He came to Lawrence county, Indiana, in an early day and was one of the
prominent and pr(-igressi\'e early citizens of tliis locality, contributing to the
best of his al^ility to the development and growth of the community. He mar-
ried Lucy Weddle, of Tennessee, and tliey were the parents of the following
children: Alfred, Mitchell, John D., Durham. Marshall, IMillie, Hester, Eri
and Eli, the two latter being twins. Of this family Eli, who now resides in
the West, is the onlv survivor. The subject was born on Julv 6, 1885, on
what was known as the L". D. Guthrie farm, located about two miles north-
west of Tunnelton, Lawrence countv, Indiana, and is the son of Durham and
Anna T. (Brooking) Guthrie. The father, who was born and reared near
Tunnelton, was during his active years a successful farmer and stock raiser,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 647
and his death occurred on October 7, 1901. His widow makes her home
with the subject of this sketch. They were the parents of the
following children: Arthur AL, who operates a farm six miles southeast of
Bedford; Stella, the wife of James Sallee, who lives one mile south of Tun-
nelton ; Winona died at the age of seventeen years ; Mansell lives on a part of
the old homestead near Tunnelton ; Helen died in infancy; the subject of
this sketch was next in order of birth; Harley, of Bedford, is the manager
of the Central Union Telephone plant at Bedford. Durham Guthrie had been
married previously to Melinda Mundell, by whom he had two children, one
dying in infancy and the other, who became the wife of Henry Brooking,
died at the age of twenty-five years.
Mitchell R. Guthrie remained on the paternal homestead until seven-
teen years of age, receiving his education in the public schools of Tunnelton
and Bedford, later taking a business course at Bedford. He entered the em-
ploy of the Monon Railroad Compan}-, but a short time later worked for
Thomas M. Brinkworth in the abstract business. He then entered the Stone
City Bank as bookkeeper and from that institution he went to the Southern
Indiana Railroad Company, for whom he worked two years as stenographer
and timekeeper. In November, 1906, Mr. Guthrie purchased the interest of
Ben Marley in the real estate, loan and insurance business and later formed a
partnership with John Alarley, since which time he has confined his efforts
to the business indicated. He is a hustler and a man of sound business judg-
ment and sagacity, having an excellent knowledge of actual reai estate values
throughout this county, while as an insurance agent he has \\on a wide repu-
tation because of his promptness in adjustment and the fact that he repre-
sents some of the best companies in the insurance deals. In the spring of 191 3
Mr. Guthrie was nominated l^y the Republicans of Bedford for mayor.
On Januarv i, 19 12, Mr. Guthrie was married to Mary McLane Duni-
hue, the daughter of Charles H. and Mary (Campbell) Dunihue, of Bedford.
this county. Fraternally, he is a member of Palestine Lodge Xo. 137. Knights
of Pythias, of which he is treasurer and a member of the board of trustees.
Religiously, he is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church, in the
prosperity of which he is deeply interested. Personally. Mr. Guthrie is a man
whom it is a pleasure to know, being generous hearted, kind, helpful, honest
in all his dealings with his fellow men and eminently worthy of the trust and
respect reposed in him, and he is today regarded as one of tlie county's most
representative and valued citizens.
648 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
S. W. COLLINS.
There could l)e no more comprehensive history written of a city or county,
or even of a state and its people, than that which deals wath the life work of
those who, b\- their own endeavor and indomitable energy, have placed them-
selves where they well deserve the title of "progressive," and in this sketch
will be found the record of one who has outstripped the less active and less
able plodders on the highway of life, one who has not been subdued by the
many obstacles and failures that come to every one, but who has made them
stepping stones to higher things and at the same time that he was winning his
way in the material affairs of life gained a reputation for uprightness and
honor.
S. W. Collins was born in Greene county, Ohio, on September 14, 1842,
and is the son of John and Isabel (Currie) Collins. The father, who was
born in York county, Pennsylvania, was a successful farmer the greater part
of his active life and died in Ohio. John Collins was in early life a Whig in
politics, but on the formation of the Republican party he cast his fortunes with
it and ever afterwards gave it his active support. His death occurred on
June 5. 1861.
The subject of this sketch received a good common school education in
his community and on the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted as a private
in Company C, Seventy-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with
which he served faithfully until December 25, 1864, when he was honorably
discharged from the service. He took part in many of the most hotly con-
tested battles of that great struggle, and was with General Sherman on his
famous march to the sea. At the close of his military service, Mr. Collins
returned to Greene county, Ohio, and engaged in farming operations until
1873, when he came to Bloomington, Indiana, which at that time was but a
village and here engaged in the bakery and restaurant business, which com-
manded his attention for five years. At the end of that period he sold his
business and engaged in the grocery business in partnership with James
Karsell. They were prospered in their business affairs and some time after
being associated together they started the first roller process mill in Monroe
county, which they operated for ten years. At the end of that time they dis-
solved partnership, ISIr. Karsell taking the mill and Mr. Collins the grocery
store, which he has continued to run until the present time. Messrs. Collins
and Karsell were interested in some splendid stone land which they have de-
veloped and now it is numbered among the best stone-producing tracts in the
S. W. COLLINS
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 649
oolitic district. They are connected with what is known as the National
Stone Company and the Southside Stone Company, both of which are prosper-
ous and large producing companies. \lv. Collins is now in partnership with
W. H. Seidle in his grocery store, which is located in the Gentry block and
which is numbered among the really big stores of the city. They cany a large
and complete line of groceries selected to meet the demands of the local trade
and by their sound business methods and efiforts to please the patrons they are
in command of their full share of local patronage. Mr. Collins is also a
stockholder and a member of the board of directors of the Monroe State Bank,
with which he has been connected for some years. In all matters concerning
the material, educational, social or moral welfare of the city of his adoption,
Mr. Collins has taken an active interest and has been a potent factor in the
development and advancement of the city.
Politically, Mr. Collins gives his support to the Republican party and is
deeply interested in public afifairs, though too busy a man to give considerable
attention to politics. Religiously, he is a member of the United Presbyterian
church, to which he contributes of his means. Mr. Collins lives in a comfort-
able and attractive home at No. 620 North College avenue and is a man of
strong social instincts, enjoying the companionship of his large circle of
friends. Because of his high personal character and success in life, he is
popular throughout the community, being numbered among Monroe county's
most enterprising and progressive citizens.
JOSEPH W. TRAINOR, D. D. S.
It is not an easy task to describe adequately a man who has led an emi-
nently active and busy life and who has attained a position of relative distinc-
tion in the community with which his interests are allied. But biography finds
its most perfect justification, nevertheless, in the tracing and recording of
such a life history. It is, then, with a full appreciation of all that is demanded
and of the painstaking scrutiny that must be accorded each statement, and
yet with a feeling of satisfaction, that the writer essays the task of touching
briefly upon the details of such a record as has been that of Joseph W. Train-
or. D. D. S.. the well-known dentist at Bedford, Indiana.
Joseph \V. Trainor was born on January 16. 1866, at Heltonville, Law-
rence county, Indiana, and is the son of Joseph and Mary (Fox) Trainor. the
father a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and the mother of Missouri.
650 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Joseph Trainor came to Lawrence county in j-oung manhood and he followed
his vocation as a wool carder and mechanic, and, being of good, all-around
mechanical ability, was held in high regard in the community, having built
many of the older and more substantial buildings of the county. In 1849,
fired by the stories of marvelous wealth to be found in California, he made
the long, tiresome and dangerous trip overland to that Eldorado and spent
two years in mining, at the end of which time he returned to the East by
the way of Cuba. His death occurred at the age of eighty-seven years, he
having been accidentally burned to death. He was a m.an of fine personal
qualities and marked mental ability, having served a number of years as
justice of the peace at Heltonville, where he enjoyed a high regard. To him
and his wife were born eight cliildren, of whom five are living, namely: Mrs.
F. S. Hunter. Mrs. William McCory. of New Albany, Indiana; Mrs. Rev. W.
W. Ramsey, of Missouri; Dr. K. A., of Allie, Oklahoma, and the subject of
this sketch.
Joseph W. Trainor received his education in the public schools at Hel-
tonville and Bedford, and at the age of eighteen years he began the study of
dentistry under Dr. VV. W. Driscoll, of Bedford. Later he became a student
in the Louisville College of Dentistry, where he was graduated in 1887 and,
returning to Bedford, bought out his former preceptor. Dr. Driscoll. He had,
however, practiced to some extent prior to that in the office of Dr. Driscoll.
He has thus been engaged in the practice of dentistry in Bedford for thirty-
two years, during whicli period he has not only enjoyed his full share of the
patronage in his line, but has Ijuilt up a wide reputation as a careful and con-
scientious workman and a man of the highest personal character. He does
not follow his profession alone for the sake of the remuneration which he re-
ceives therefrom, but is a lover of his work and possesses that higher ideal of
devotion to the welfare of humanity.
Dr. Trainor has been twice married, first to Nora Allen, of Vincennes,
by whom lie had three children, two deceased, and a son, Joseph, of High-
bridge, New Jersey, where he is employed as an estimator for the Taylor
Iron & Steel Company. For his second wife Dr. Trainor chose Ida Gleason,
of Defiance, Ohio, whom he married on June 6, 1894, and they are the par-
ents of a daughter, Dorothy, who is now a student in the Bedford high school.
Religiously, Dr. Trainor is a member of the Methodist church at Bed-
ford, and was a member of the choir for fifteen years. Fraternallv, he is a
member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, while his political
relations are with the Progressive party, he giving a heartv indorsement to
the policies as enunciated during the last campaign l)v Theodore Roosevelt
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 65 1
and Hiram Johnson. In the better hfe of the community, Dr. Trainor
has been a factor of importance, for he has given his support unreservedly to
every movement which has had a tendency to advance the welfare of the peo-
ple morally, educationally or socially, and because of his professional ability,
high personal character and his thoughtful regard for the interests of his
fellow citizens he enjoys a well deserved popularity throughout this section
of the county.
HARRY K. CAREY, M. D.
Although but a short time a resident of the community of which this
volume is a record, the subject of this sketch has by his professional ability
and high personal character stamped his impress on those with whom he has
come in contact and is numbered among the progressive and enterprising resi-
dents of Bedford. In the reahn of medicine anrl surgery he has achieved a
splendid reputation, for l)y training and experience he has well qualified him-
self to combat disease in all its forms, and among his professional colleagues
he is held in highest regard. Doctor Carey is a native of Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania, where he was born on April 17, 1876, and is the son of Dr. Stephen
H. and Alarv ( Nuskey) Carey, both of whom also were born in Philadelphia,
in which city the father is now engaged in' the active practice of his profession,
that of dentistry. Of their children, the subject of this sketch is the only
one li\'ing.
Harry K. Carey comi)leted his public school education and then entered
the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was
graduated in 1S98 with the degree of Doctor of Atedicine. in the same year
he entered upon the acti\c practice of his profession at Philadelphia, where
he remained until iyi2, in which year he came to Bedford, where he has since
remained and, as already stated, is now numbered among the leading physi-
cians in this locality. As a general practitioner in medicine and surgery he
has met with splendid success and is commanding his full share of patronage. ■
While in Philadelphia during 1898 and 1899 he was resident physician at
St. Joseph's hospital, and assistant gynaecologist to Kensington and Stetson
hospitals in that city and was also associate paediatrist to the Samaritan hos-
pital and Temple University, and assistant gynaecologist to St. JVIary's hos-
pital, Philadelphia, for several years. He has been a constant and close student
of his profession and is a close reader of all literature pertaining thereto, as
well as improving other opportunities to keep in touch with medical science in
65'2 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
all its phases. In KJ03, Doctor Carey attended the fnnrteenth International
Medical Congress, which was lield at Madrid, Spr-iin. and has made a number
of trips abroad, six in all, and Ijeing a keen observer, this has been a source
of education as well as pleasure to him. The Doctor is a member of the Law-
rence County Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the
Medical Club of Philadelphia and the County INIedical Society of Philadelphia.
He has a large and well-selected professional lilirary, as well as many other
valuable works, of which he is a close and constant reader. Personally, he is
a man of social impulses and is genial and companionable in his relations with
his fellow men. He has, since locating in Bedford, taken a deep interest in
the welfare of the commuuit\- and gives an ard-rut support to all movements
for local improvement.
On April J5, iijof). Doctor Carey married Constance ^I. Beddoe, of
Bedford, Indiana, a daughter of Arthur Beddoe. who was formerly mayor of
A\'ashin<rtou, Indiana. To thi.> union has been liovn one child, Alice I.
NOYES E. STROUT.
From far-off Maine has come to us one of our enterprising and worthy
citizens, Noyes E. Strout, of Bedford, Indiana, who, since casting his lot
with the people of Lawrence county, has benefited alike himself and the com-
munity in general, for his record shows him to be an honorable, upright man,
industrious, temperate, economical and in every way exemplary in his daily
life and conduct. As a factor of the body politic he has performed well his
every duty and no one questions his standing in this favored locality of the
commonwealth of Indiana.
Noyes E. Strout was born in Cumberland county, Maine, on June i,
1838, and is the son of Ezekiel and Betsy (Anderson) Strout, both of whom
also were natives of the old Pine Tree state, where the father was engaged
in general farming. They were the parents of six children, three sons and
three daughters, besides whom the subject had two half sisters. Noyes E.
Strout secured his education in the common schools of his native state and
at the age of twenty years came to Indiana, and entered the employ of the
Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad as a passenger brakeman, re-
maining in that employment two years. He then entered the employ of the
Adams Express Company, with whom he remained until his retirement a
few vears ago and now makes his home at Bedford, where he enjoys the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 653
confidence and respect of all who know him. He is the owner of several
splendid rental properties here, also of a small tract of land on the outskirts
of the city. His home in Bedford is a very pleasing and attractive residence
and here the genuine spirit of old-time hospitality is always in evidence.
In 1866 Mr. Strout married Elizabeth Vestal, the daughter of John and
Bessie (Cook) Vestal, natives respectively of North Carolina and Richland,
Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Strout have been born seven children, four sons
and three daughters, namely: John V., who is engaged in the auto garage
business in Bedford, is married and has three children; Stewart E., who lives
in Bedford, is yardmaster for the Monon Railroad Company, is married and
is the father of four daughters: Fred N., of Bedford, is a machinist by pro-
fession; Albert F., deceased; Mrs. Cora Bishop lives in Bedford and is the
mother of three children; Mary H. is single and lives at home with her par-
ents. The subject is also the grandfather of ten grandchildren, who bear the
following names: Vestal, Mildred. Lydia, Elizabeth, Noyes, Stephanie and
Charles Strout, and Noyes S., Henry B. and Elizabeth Bishop.
Politically, Mr. Strout was formerly a Republican, but now he gives his
support to the Progressive movement, while, fraternally, he is a member of
Lodge No. 137, Knights of Pythias, at Bedford, in the workings of which
he takes a deep interest. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, to which he contributes liberally of his means, and he takes a
deep and intelligent interest in every local movement for the advancement of
the best interests of his fellow citizens, morally, socially or educationally. He
is a man of social tendencies, kind, obliging, tmassuming and straightforward
and honorable in all the relations of life and he is universally respected and
popular.
MORRELL SIMPSON, M. D.
Success in what are popularly termed the learned professions is the
legitimate result of merit and painstaking endeavor. In commercial life one
may come into possession of a lucrative business through inheritance or gift,
but professional advancement is gained only by critical study and consecutive
research long continued. Proper intellectual discipline, thorough professional
knowledge and the possession and utilization of the qualities and attributes
essential to success have made the subject of this review eminent in his chosen
calling and he stands today among the scholarly and enterprising physicians
and stu-geons in a community long distinguished for the high order of its
medical talent.
654 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Dr. Morrell Simpson, whose standing among the professional men of
Bedford is unchsputed, is a native of the county in which he now resides, hav-
ing been born at Tunnehon on March 12, 1882. He is a son of Samuel and
Ehzabeth J. (Clendennin) Simpson, both of whom are natives also of Law-
rence county. The subject's paternal grandfather Simpson, who was a na-
tive of Kentucky, came to Indiana in an early day, settling in Lawrence
county, where he became a man of prominence and usefulness in the com-
munity. The subject's father, who is now retired from active business, re-
sides in Bedford. He was twice married, first to a Miss Runnels, by whom
he had three children. To his union with Elizabeth Clendennin were born
four children, of whom three are surviving, namely: Dora, the wife of Logan
Smith, of Bedford; Miss Silva, and the subject of this sketch. The mother of
these children is still living.
Morrell Simpson was reared in his home county, the first two years of
his life having been spent in Tunnelton, from whence the family removed
to Harrodsburg, Indiana, and thence to Guthrie, this county, from which
place they later located near Heltonville and finally came to Bedford, where
the family has since resided. The subject received his education in the com-
mon schools and two summer terms at Central Normal College at Danville,
Indiana, where he prepared himself for the vocation of teaching. He taught
five terms in the common schools of this county and attained an enviable
reputation as an educator. Having determined to make the profession of
medicine his life work, he entered the Hospital College of Medicine at Louis-
ville, Kentucky, in 1903, where he was graduated in 1907 with the degree of
Doctor of Medicine. He immediately returned to Bedford and entered into
a professional partnership with Dr. J. T. Freeland. under the firm name of
Freeland & Simpson, and he has since been engaged here in the general prac-
tice of medicine and surgery, in which he has enjoyed a large measure of
success and has been eminently successful in his efforts. He is a member of
the Lawrence County Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society and
the American Medical Association.
In September, 1908, Doctor Simpson married Nellie Hunter, the daugh-
ter of Oliver P. and Flora (Gregory) Hunter, of Bedford, she having been
born and reared in this county, though her parents were born and reared at
Heltonville. Both are living, the father being an active and successful car-
penter.
Politicallv, Doctor Simpson is a Progressive and takes an ardent inter-
est in public affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, be-
longing to Lodge No. 14 at Bedford, as well as the Knights of Pythias, the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 655
Tribe of Ben Hur and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Re-
ligiously, he and his wife are members of the Christian church at Bedford,
of which they are regular attendants and to which they contribute liberally.
Genial and unassuming in manner, the Doctor easily makes friends, and in
the community where he has spent his life he enjoys a marked popularity.
• WILLIAM O. BLAKELY.
Holding prestige among the successful business men of today, the sub-
ject of this review has had much to do in advancing the material interests of
Bloomington, Indiana, and making it one of the commercial centers of the
state. The study of such a life can not fail of interest and incentive, as he is
distinctly representative in his sphere of activity and has contributed in no
small measure to the prosperity of the city which is his home and field of
operation, at the same time establishing a lasting reputation for honor and
integrity.
William O. Blakely, who for a number of years has been numbered
among the successful merchants of Bloomington, is a native of the county in
which he now resides and was born on November 13, 1854. His parents were
William and Elizabeth (Hall) Blakely, both natives of Kentucky, who came
to Monroe countv in 1832 and l^oth are now deceased. During his active years
the subject's father was a successful farmer and by his earnest efforts and
high character he won an exalted place in the opinion of those who knew
him. To him and his wife were l:)orn six children: Mary, William O., Flor-
ence, deceased ; Horace, Estella, and Thomas, deceased.
William O. Blakely attended the common schools, where he secured a
good practical education and was reared on his father's farm, devoting his
attention to agrictdtural pursuits until twenty-eight years of age, when he
moved to Kansas. There he was likewise engaged in farming operations for
three years and then for a like period was employed as a clerk in a store. In
1895 Mr. Blakely returned to Monroe county and during the following five
years was employed in a clerical capacity, in which he rendered faithful serv-
ice to his employer. In 1900 Mr. Blakely engaged in business on his own ac-
count, opening a grocery store in which his success was established from the
beginning. His career has been marked by ability of a high order and the
courtesy which he has extended to his customers and other commendable
personal qualities have gained for him not only a large business patronage.
but also the confidence and good will of all who have had dealings with him.
656 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
On November 4, 1880, Mr. Blakely was married to Mary Elizabeth
Field, the daughter of Moses and Mary (Scott) Field, and to them have
been born two children, Raymond and Charles.
Politically, Mr. Blakely was formerly an earnest supporter of the Re-
publican partv, but in 1912 he cast his lot with the Progressive branch of
that party, with which he is now allied. Religiously, he has been for many
years a member of the Christian church, to which he gives earnest support,
while, fraternallv, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and
the Tribe of Ben-Hur. Mr. Blakely is a man who would win his way in any
locality where fate might place him, for he has sound judgment, coupled with
great energy and business tact, together with upright principles, all of which
make for success wherever and whenever they are persistently applied. He
and his wife move in the best social circles of the city and throughout their
large circle of acquaintances they are held in the highest regard because of
their genial disposition and sterling personal qualities.
ALBERT T. HOADLEY.
This biographical memoir has to do with a character of unusual force and
eminence, for Albert T. Hoadley, whose life chapter has been closed by the
fate that awaits mankind, was for a long lapse of years one of the promi-
nent citizens of Bloomington, although he was summoned to close his earthly
accounts while still in the zenith of his power. While he carried on a special
line of business in such a manner as to gain a comfortable competence for
himself, he also belonged to that class of representative men of affairs who
promote the public Avelfare while advancing individual success. There were
in him sterling traits which commanded uniform confidence and regard, and
his memory is today honored by all who knew him and is enshrined in the
hearts of his many friends.
Albert T. Hoadley was born at Mt. Tabor, Monroe county, Indiana, on
July 12, i860, and his death occurred at his home in Stinesville on July 27,
1912. He was the son of John and Mary E. (York) Hoadley, the father a
native of England and the mother born in the state of Ohio. John Hoadley
came to America at the age of twelve years and here learned the trade of
machinist. He was employed at this occupation at New Albany, Indiana, for
four or five years, at the end of which period he came to Monroe county, and
here he became identified with the stone business, in which he was a pioneer.
/^y^^4^.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 657
Opening up a quarry on Big creek in 1876, he there carried on his operations
successfully until turning the business over to his son, the subject of this
sketch. He is now retired from active business pursuits. To him and his
wife were born the following children : Belle, Albert and Elmer are deceased ;
Minnie, Rose, John and Burt G., the latter being referred to specifically else-
where in this work.
Albert T. Hoadley was reared under the parental roof and secured his
education in the common schools. On attaining mature years Mr. Hoadley
engaged in the stone business, becoming a partner with his father, and event-
ually the youngest brother, Burt G., was taken into the firm. Mr. Hoadley
first gave his attention to the making of monuments, Init suljsequently opened
a mill for sawing and finishing stone, and eventually buying a quarry. Ener-
getic and indefatigable in his efforts, he built up a large business and gained a
splendid reputation as a man of good business judgment, his reputation being
still further enhanced by a life lived along the highest planes of endeavor, his
actions being prompted and controlled by the highest motives, so that at all
times he enjoyed the unqualified confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Hoadlev was twice married, first, in 1885, to Myrtle iM-anklin, the
daughter of James Eranklin, and to them were liorn three children: Wilder,
born July 24, 1899, died June 30, 1890: Roy, born June 2, 1891, died Decem-
ber 22, 1892; ^lary E., born June 21, 1893, who became the wife of Guy
West, of Stinesville. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Hoadley was, on
March 31, 1895, married to Anna Ferris, the daughter of Henry and Eliza-
beth (Austin) Ferris, the former a native of New York state and the latter of
Kentucky. Mr. Ferris came from his native state to Indiana, meeting his
future wife at Madison, where their marriage occurred, after which they lo-
cated at Worthington, Indiana. He was a plasterer by trade all his life and
was held in high repute in the locality where he lived. He and his wife are
both now deceased. They were the parents of five cliildren, namely : Alfred,
Laura, Agnes (deceased), Ann and Hettie. To the subject's second union
has been born one child, Maud Agnes, born ]\larch 3, 1896, who is the wife
of Rogers A. Lee, of Bloomington. Mrs. Hoadley is a lady of many gracious
qualities of head and heart, who has gained and retains a warm place in the
hearts of all who know her.
Politically, Mr. Hoadley was a stanch supporter of the Republican party,
but never sought office. Religiously, he was an earnest and faithful meml:)er
of the Baptist church, in the various activities of which he took a prominent
(42). .
658 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
part, having been a deacon in that society for man}^ years. His Hfe history
exhibits a career of unswerving integrity, indefatigable industry and whole-
some social relations — the record of a well balanced mental and moral consti-
tution, strongly marked by those traits of character which are of special value
in such a state of society as exists in this country. Personally, Mr. Hoadley
was a man of clean character and of genial impulses, so that he, unconsciously
perhaps and without effort, made friends of all who came into contact with
him. The world needs such men and his death was a distinct loss to the com-
munitv in which he had lived.
HARMONY CHURCH.
Harmony church is located seven miles southwest of Bloomington on
tlie Stanford pike, at the seat of the early communistic society known as
Harmony, from which it took its name. It had its beginning almost as early
as the state. It had for its purpose a union on the Bible, with every thing
human eliminated and for its bond of union, "Where the Bible speaks we
speak, and where the Bible is silent we are silent." Where it held its meetings
in its early existence is unknown to the writer, but in the early thirties the
neighborhood (the church and the neighborhood at that time being almost
identical), by voluntary contributions of labor and money, built a substantial
structure about twenty-four by fifty feet of hewed oak logs, with a movable
partition, the north part for school purposes and the south part for worship,
tlie whole thrown together on occasions. It was situated on the ground occu-
pied by the present frame structure. About 1868, it was razed and the pres-
ent structure built in its stead. Its membership was of the most substantial
element from the first. Among its members were the Berrys and Givens,
eight or ten families. Among its elders and leaders were Conrad Kern,
Streat Cox. D. C. Smith, William Roseberry, William Sadler, and among
its preachers Eliza Goodwin, James Mathes. W. F. Treat, James Blankenship.
It suffered greatly by removals, and while still in existence is only the wreck
of its former self. The Church of Christ, meeting on the corner of Lincoln
and Fourth street, had its origin in a withdrawal from the Kirkwood Avenue
Christian church in the year 1877. The majority of said church wishing to
widen the principles above mentione.l in connection with the Harmony
church, was the cause of the division. The withdrawing party was led by
Ellis Sluss, L. B. Brav and Thomas ^^'illiams, three of the elders, who also
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 659
served as elders in the new congregation. A few years later it built a frame
house on the corner of Seventh and Morton. In 1910 the present stone
building, on the corner of Fourth and Lincoln, was completed. The present
elders, mentioned in order of age, are Dudley F. Smith, James Lowder. H.
H. Adamson, James Thrasher. The congregation numbers between two and
three hundred members, and is in good working condition.
W. T. BREEDEN.
One of the intiuential citizens of Bloomington is the gentleman to
whose career the attention of the reader is now directed, who is ranked with
the city's leading merchants and representative citizens. A man of excellent
endowments and upright character, he has been a valued factor in local af-
fairs and has ever commanded unequivocal confidence and esteem, being loyal
to the upbuilding of his community and ever vigilant in his efforts to further
the interests of his city along material, moral and civic lines.
W. T. Breeden is a native of the grand old state of Indiana, having
been born in Greene county on the 7th day of July, 1855. He is the son of
J. T. and Emily (Edwards) Breeden, the former of whom was a native of
Maryland, but who came to Indiana in 1834. He was a farmer by vocation
during his active years and now, at the advanced age of eighty years, though
retired from active labor, he is still residing on his farm in Greene county,
and is highly respected in the community where he lives.
The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of Monroe and
Greene counties and completed his educational training at Valparaiso Univer-
sity, where he pursued the scientific course for three years. He engaged in
teaching school and during six winters he thus defrayed the cost of his edu-
cational expense. In 1880 Mr. Breeden went to Eldorado, Kansas, where for
a year he was engaged in the operation of a bakery and restaurant, but at the
end of that time he came to Bloomington and opened a store on the west side'
of the public square. Two years later he disposed of his mercantile interests
and went on the road as a traveling salesman for the Carter Brothers Dry
Goods Company, of Louisville, Kentucky. Two years later, in 1888, he
bought and opened his present store (having continued on the road until
1893), starting first in a modest way, but as business increased he expanded
his store, both in size and amount of stock, until he is now the owner of one
of the largest department stores in Bloomington, the business being run under
the firm name of Breeden & Co. About eighteen clerks are employed the year
66o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
round and the stock carried is one of the largest and most complete in this-
line to be found in any city the size of Bloomington. Courtesy and an evident
desire to please all who have patronized the store have been the strongest
elements in the success which has accompanied Mr. Breeden's efforts and he
has at all times enjoyed the full confidence of all who have done business with
him.
In 1880 Mr. Breeden married Mary H. Baker, the daughter of W. B.
and Harriett (Denny) Baker, the former of whom was for many years en-
gaged in the mercantile business at Stanford, Indiana, but is now retired and
living in Bloomington. To Mr. and Mrs. Breeden have been born four chil-
dren, two of whom are deceased; Carl, who is interested in the depart-
ment store business with bis father, and Carrie, who is at home.
Politically, Mr. Breeden is an earnest supporter of the Republican party,
but his business interests have precluded his taking an active part in political
affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while his re-
ligious belief is embodied in the creed of the Methodist Episcopal church, of
which he is a faithful attendant and to which he contributes liberally of his
means. Mr. Breeden is regarded as a good business man, an excellent man-
ager, and a man who possesses sound judgment and foresight and who be-
lieves in ever pressing forward so that his success is but the legitimate result
of the efforts which he has put forth. He enjoys the respect and esteem of
those who know liim for his friendly manner, business ability, his interest in
public affairs and his upright living, and he is regarded by all as one of the
substantial and wortliv citizens of the citv honored bv his residence.
ROLLA F. WALKER.
Clearly defined piu-pose and consecutive effort in the affairs of life will
inevitably result in the attaining of a due measure of success, hut in following
out the career of one who has attained success by his own eff'orts there comes
into view the intrinsic individuality which made such accomplishment possi-
l)le, and thus there is granted an oljjective incentive and inspiration, while a*:
the same time there is enkindled a feeling of respect and admiration. The
c[ualities which have made Mr. Walker one of the prominent and successful
men of- Bloomington have also brought him the esteem of his fellow towns-
men, for his career has been one of well-directed energy, strong determination
and honorable methods.
LAWRENCE AND MONROfi COUNTIES, INDIANA. 66l
The present efficient and popular trustee of Bloomington township, Mon-
roe county, Indiana, was born in Bloomington on May 23, 1861, and is the
son of John F. and Sarah (Green) Walker, the father a native of Kentucky
and the mother of Lawrence county, Indiana. The father was a man of enter-
prise and industry and, as publisher of the Bloomington Republican, he wield-
ed a wide influence in this community for many years. He and his wife are
both deceased. The subject of this sketch received a common school educa-
tion, after which he entered the employ of Showers Brothers, with whom he
remained for twenty-eight years. He was employed in practically all depart-
ments of their business and enjoyed the fullest measure of confidence on the
part of his employers, being placed in many positions of trust and responsi-
bilitv, the duties of which he discharged with efficiency and to the entire sat-
isfaction of his employers. In 1908, in recognition of his sterling qualities
and his ability, his fellow citizens elected him trustee of Bloomington town-
ship, in which position he is now serving to the entire satisfacton of all con-
cerned. He is a man of good business ability and has given to the administra-
tion of his office the benefit of his experience and sound judgment. He is a
man of high ideals, and in the public life of the community he has long been
prominent, having been an ardent supporter of every movement looking to
the advancement of the public welfare in any way. His life has been char-
acterized by persistent industry, for even during his boyhood days his vaca-
tion periods were occupied by employment of some kind.
In 1896 Mr. Walker was united in marriage with Margaret Bell Ward,
the daughter of Jefferson and Margaret (Thompson) Ward, a lady of splen-
did qualities of character who has endeared herself to all who know her.
Politically a Republican, Mr. Walker has long been active in the ranks
of his party's workers, having served on many committees. Fraternally, he
is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, while his religious membership is with the Methodist Episcopal church.
He is also a valued member of the Commercial Club. By persistent industry,
wise economy and sound judgment, Mr. Walker lias been enabled to ac-
quire a beautiful and attractive home adjoining the corporation limits, his
place comprising fifty-one acres of splendid land, on which is as good a sugar
grove as can be found in this section of the country. The home is surrounded
hy a well-kept lawn, and the general appearance of the place indicates the
owner to be a man of splendid taste. In every avenue of life's activities in
which he has engaged he has been true to every trust and he justly merits the
"high regard in which he is universally held throughout the community.
662 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
GEORGE W. HENLEY.
Among the strung and influential citizens of Monroe county, Indiana,
the record of whose Hves have become an essential part of the history of this
section, the gentleman whose name appears above occupies a prominent place
and for years has exerted a beneficial influence in the locality where he re-
sides. His chief characteristics are keenness of perception, a tireless energy,
honesty of purpose and motive and everyday common sense, which has en-
abled him not only to advance his own interests, but also largely contribute to
the moral and material advancement of the community.
George \V- Henley was born near Paoli, Orange county, Indiana, on
October 28, 1859, and is the son of Henry and Lydia Margarette (Patton)
Henley. Henry Henley, who was born in Paoli, Orange county, in October,
1826, died in 1912, and his wife, who was born in North Carolina in 1829,
is still living. Henry Henley was for many years one of the most prominent
operators in the oolitic stone belt, and he opened and organized the first
company for the quarrying of stone in the Himter Valley, the company being
known as the Hunter Stone Company, which was organized in 1891, and
which, in 1895, was s(ild to the Consolidated Stone Company for one hundred
and twenty-five thousand dollars. In addition to this enterprise Mr. Henley
organized several other companies, notably the Crown Stone Company, the
New York Stone Company, the Clear Creek Stone Company, the Henley
Stone Company and the George W. Henley Stone Company, now owned by
his son, George W., who took part in the promotion of the company. As the
pioneer stone man of this locality, Mr. Elenley long enjoyed distinctive pres-
tige among his associates in this business. He was the father of three chil-
dren: Laura J., who became the wife of Ed Mooney, a prominent business
man of Columbus, Indiana, and her death occurred in 1802; Joseph E., one
of the most prominent and successful attorneys at Bloomington, Indiana, and
George W., the immediate subject of this sketch. Politically, Henrv Henley
was a stanch Republican. During the war of the Rebellion he saw active mili-
tary service, having enlisted as a private in Company A, Seventeenth Regiment
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and being made captain of the company. The
regiment was assigned to the famous Wilder brigade, one of the most noted
military divisions in the entire LTnion army. Captain Henlev was a valiant
and courageous soldier and earned his promotion to the rank of major, which
he held at the time of his discharge. He was detailed for special work and to
him is due the credit for the detection and arrest of the leaders of that in-
famous organization, the Knights of the Golden Circle.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 663
George W. Henley received the elements of his education in the com-
mon schools of his home community and then became a student in the State
University, where he graduated in i8So. Afterwards for a while he was em-
ployed as clerk in a clothing store at Bloomington, and later was similarly
employed at Crawfordsville. He was then appointed to a position in the war
department at Washington and was subseciuently traiisferred to the surgeon-
general's office where he remained until 1895, when he returned to Bloom-
ington and here engaged in the stone business, in which his father had many
important interests. His first connection was with the South Side Stone
Company, with which he was identified until 1904, when he became associated
with his father in the organization of the George W. Henley Stone Company.
which is located at Stinesville, this county, and which is one of the most sue-
cessful and important quarries in the district. He has given his entire atten-
tion and time to the management of this company and is numbered among the
most successful stone operators in the county. The G. W' . Henley Company
makes a specialty of turning out finished stone, cut according to plans and
specifications, ready for use in the building, and this detail of their business
has commended them to many contractors and building firms throughout the
country.
In 1884 Mr. Henley was united in marriage to Flora Abell, of the state
of Marvland, their marriage occurring while Mr. Henley was in the govern-
ment employ in \^^ashington city. This union has been blessed in the birth
of two children, Violet, who is a student in the Bloomington high school, and
George W., who is on the road as a representative of the Rumley Thresher
Company.
Politically, Mr. Henley was for many years an ardent supporter of the
Republican partv and w^as chairman of the county central committee, but in
the fall of 1912, having espoused the cause of the Progressive party, he re-
signed this position and was elected chairman of the county Bull Moose com-
mittee, in which position he rendered effective work for the new^ party. He
is a man of strong and positive opinions, and when he takes a stand on anv
question he is ready to defend his convictions to the extent of his ability.
He served four years efficiently as a member of the Bloomington city council
and in manv wavs has exhibited a keen interest in the welfare of the city.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, while his religious membership is with the
Methodist Episcopal church. He is one of the strong, sturdy individuals who
is contributing largely to the material welfare of the city in which he resides,
being an up-to-date business man and public spirited as a citizen, and pro-
664 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
gressive in all that the term implies. Fur a number of years he has been a
potent factor in molding the community's progress along social, educational
and moral lines and consequently his name well deserves a place in the record
of Monroe county's citizens.
NAT U. HILL.
The gentleman whose name heads this paragraph is widely known as one
of the honored citizens of Bloomington, Indiana. He has lived here all his
life, being a member of one of the leading families of this section of the state,
and for a number of years has been prominently identified with the business
and financial interests of this commimity. His well-directed efforts in the
practical affairs of life, his capable management of his business interests and
his sound judgment have brought to him prosperity, and in all the relations of
life he has commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he has
been brought in contact.
Nat U. Hill, president of the First National Bank of Bloomington, was
born on March 18, 1881, in the city where he now resides, and is a son of
Nat U., Sr., and Anna (Buskirk) Hill, his father having been for many years
one of the most prominent citizens of this section of the state. As specific
reference to the subject's parents is made elsewhere in this work, it is deemed
unnecessary to make further mention of them at this point, further than to
say that Nat U. Hill, Sr., died on May 8, 1908, and his widow is residing at
the old home in Bloomington. They were the parents of two children, Nat
U., the immediate subject of this sketch, and Philip, who is assistant superin-
tendent of the Empire Stone Company.
Nat U. Hill received his elementary education in the public schools of
Bloomington, graduating from the high school, and he then became a student
in the State University, which he attended for a time. He then engaged in
the life and fire insurance business for three years, in which he displayed
marked business ability and so managed his affairs as to gain a distinct suc-
cess. In May, 1908, the late L. W. Buskirk succeeded his father as president
of the First National Bank, of Bloomington, and on January i, 1911, the sub-
ject was elected and is at the present time serving as such. The First Na-
tional Bank is one of the strongest and most influential financial institutions in
southern Indiana, The report of the condition of this bank on June 4, 1913.
was as follows: Resources — Loans and discounts. $458,127.64; overdrafts.
NAT U. HILL, JR.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 665
$26,569.02; U. S. bonds to secure circulation, $20,000.00; bonds, securities,
etc., $117,355.70; banking house, furniture and fixtures, $17,638.90; due from
national banks, not reserve agents, $134.26; due from approved reserve agents,
$38,030.36; checks and other cash items, $8,062.99 ; cash on hand, $45,112.91 ;
redemption fund with U. S. treasurer, $1,500.00; total, $742,531.78. Lia-
bilities— Capital stock paid in, $120,000.00; surplus, $33,000.00; undivided
profits, less expense and profits paid, $551,439.49; national bank notes out-
standing, $30,000.00; deposits, $508,092.29 ; total, $742,531.78. The officers of
the bank are as follows : President, Nat U. Hill ; vice-president, Ira C. Bat-
man ; cashier, Charles S. Small ; assistant cashier, Reg B. Stull.
Mr. Hill is building a large new brick garage, one hundred and thirty-six
by seventy-four feet in size, for the storage of cars and general repair work.
Mr. Hill's innate modesty forbids the use of words bordering on adula-
tion, but merit justifies praise, and it is entirely consonant in this connection to
simply state that in the business and civic life of Bloomington, Mr. Hill has
been a factor of recognized force and influence. In the management of his
affairs he has shown shrewd intelligence, sound judgment and farsightedness,
his business associates holding him in high regard in this respect. Personally,
Mr. Hill is a gentleman of pleasing address, frank and kindly in manner and
popular with his friends and fellow citizens. Fraternally, he is a member of
the Free and Accepted Masons, the Mystic Shrine and the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks.
EARL COLLINS CARPENTER.
Descended from honored ancestry nnd himself numbered among the
leading citizens of Monroe county, Indiana, the subject of tliis sketch is
entitled to specific recognition in a work of this character. A residence in
this county of many years has but strengthened his hold on the hearts of the
people with whom he has been associated and today none here enjoys a larger
circle of warm friends and acquaintances, who esteem him because of his
sterling qualities of character and his business ability.
Earl Collins Carpenter was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on July 29.
1877. and is the son of Guy C. and Valla S. (Irish) Carpenter, the father a
native of Connecticut and the mother of New York state. Guy C. Carpenter
was a railroad man during all his active years, having been located in many
different railroad towns, and was highly respected by his associates. To him
666 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and his wife were born three children, namely: Earl C, Guy C, Jr., and
George J.
Earl C. Carpenter received his education in the common schools, gradu-
ating from the high school at Centralia, Illinois, after which he took up the
study of veterinary surgery in Chicago Veterinary College, completing his
work at the Indianapolis Veterinary College in 1900. In the same year he
entered upon the active practice of his profession at Bloomington, where he
is still engaged and in which he has met with the most pronounced success.
Thoroughly understanding animal life and having given close professional
study to all forms of equine diseases, he is fully qualified to handle all ail-
ments of the horse that are brought to his care and attention. He is a very
accomplished trainer of horses, having been successful in breaking saddle
horses especially. He recently sold "King Araby" to Gentry Brothers for
sixteen hundred dollars, and for about a year before that he had been with
Gentry Brothers a 3'ear as a feature act with this horse, his act proving a
popular and well received performance. He has handled horses from all over
the United States, some of which, owned by millionaires, he has broken to
the saddle. With the exception of the period spent with Gentry Brothers,
Doctor Carpenter has devoted his attention closely to his professional prac-
tice at Bloomington. He enjoys a wide and enviable reputation throughout
this section of the country and personally is well deserving of all the suc-
cess and confidence which have been accorded him.
Doctor Carpenter married Alice Wooley, daughter of James B. and
Sally (McCullough) Wooley, the former a native of Monroe county, In-
diana. The father, Zimri McCullough, was an early settler in this locality and
built the Bundy hotel, which at that time was known as the Worley tavern.
He was not only an early settler of the county, but took an active part in all
affairs aflfecting the welfare of the community and was held in high esteem
among his associates. In a business way he was successful, having been a
livery man most of his active years. To him and his wife was born one
child, Mrs. Carpenter.
The subject of this sketch gives his political support to the Progressive
party, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Free and Accepted Masons.
Religiously, he is a member of the Christian church and takes a deep inter-
est in all things pertaining to the spiritual verities. He is a warm supporter
of all movements tending toward the advancement and welfare of his fellow
citizens along moral, educational or social lines, and is eminently deserving of
the high position he holds in the community.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 667
ALONZO H. HOSTETLER.
It is by no means an easy task to describe within the hniits uf this review
a man who has led an active and eminently useful life and by his own exer-
tions reached a position of honor and trust in the line of industries with
which his interests are allied. But biography finds justification, nevertheless,
in the tracing and recording of such a life history, as the public claims a cer-
tain property interest in the career of every individual and the time invariably
arrives when it becomes advisable to give the right publicity. It is, then,
with a certain degree of satisfaction that the chronicler essays the task of
touching briefly upon such a record as has been of the subject who now comes
under this review.
Alonzo H. Hostetler, one of the well-known and enterprising citizens of
Mitchell, Lawrence county, Indiana, was born in this county on December
I. 1861, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth J. (Chastain) Hostetler, both
of whom were also natives of this county. The father, who was a millman
and farmer all his life, was a man of marked capacity for business and was
successful in all his operations. The subject's grandfather, Jonah H. Hostet-
ler, was a very early settler of Lawrence county and was prominent in the
early growth and development of the county. To the subject's parents were
born the following children: Daniel R. and Mary A., twins, Benjamin N.,
Leonard J., Sarah E., Martha J., James M., Alonzo H. and Fannie J.
Alonzo H. Hostetler received his educational training in the common
schools of Lawrence county and was reared to the jife of a farmer, which
vocation he has always followed. On attaining manhood's years he also be-
came identified with the sawmill business, in which he is still actively engaged
and in these two occupations he has found his life a busy one. Persistent
energy, honesty of motive and correct dealing have brought to him their re-
ward and today no man in his section of the county is better known or more
highly respected than he. He has been successful in his financial affairs and
besides his interests in this county he is the owner of a splendid timber and
sawmill plantation in Georgia.
On April 22, 1880, Mr. Llostetler married Fannie McNamara, to which
union was born a son, who died in infancy, INirs. Hostetler dying soon after-
wards. On October 22, 1884, Mr. Hostetler was married to Lillie E. Dalton,
the daughter of John and Philomala (Clark) Dalton, who were early settlers
of Lawrence county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler have been born two chil-
dren, namely: Rosamond A., the wife of John B. Wilkinson, of Georgia, and
Franklin Arthur, of Mitchell.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Hostetler has all his life taken an active
interest in public affairs and has had an influential part in the councils of his
668 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
party. In 1908 he was elected trustee of Marion township, this county, and is
the present incumlient of this office, his term not expiring until 1914. He has
exercised the same business judgment and honesty of action in discharging
his official duties as have characterized his private affairs and his conduct of
the office has been to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Fraternally,
he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, Knights of Pythias and Im-
proved Order of Red Men, belonging to the local lodges of these orders at
Mitchell. Religiously, he is a member of the First Baptist church of Mitchell,
of which he is a deacon and trustee and to which he gives a liberal support.
Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler have shown by their consistent and upright lives that
they are worthy of the esteem of all, which, indeed, they possess, the circle
of their friends being limited only by the circle of their acquaintances.
CYRUS N. S. NEELD.
Holding distinctive prestige among the enterprising citizens of Monroe
county is Cyrus N. S. Neeld, whose record, here briefly outlined, is that of a
self-made man, who by the exercise of the talents with which nature endowed
him, rose to the position he now occupies as one of the influential and well-
to-do men of the city honored bv his residence. He is a creditable repre-
sentative of one of the old and highly esteemed pioneer families of this local-
ity and possesses manv of the admirable qualities and characteristics of his
sturdy Kentucky ancestors, who migrated to Indiana in a very early da}^ and
figured in the historv of this section of the state.
Cyrus N. S. Neeld, well known for a number of years as a successful
and enterprising man of Bloomington, Indiana, was born in this countv on
July 6, 1844, and is the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth L. (Reeves) Neeld,
both of whom were natives of Kentuckv. Benjamin Neeld was born in
Harrodsburg, in the old Blue Grass state, and came by wagon to Monroe
county, Indiana, in 1819. In his native state he had learned the trade of a
blacksmith and the old shop in Harrodsburg, where he served his three
years' apprenticeship, is still standing. He followed his trade after coming
to Bloomington and it is a matter of historic record that he made practically
all the axes with \vhich the timber in Monroe county was cut down in the
pioneer days. As such he was a factor of importance in the progress and de-
velopment of that period. The blacksmith shop which he opened at Bloom-
ington became one of the important business concerns of the new localitv and
LAWRE^■CE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 669
Mr. Neeld followed his trade here until about the time of his death, in
1868. In the political and civic life of Alonroe county he took a deep inter-
est and served a term as member of the board of county commissioners at
a period when matters of the utmost importance to the future history of the
county were being considered and acted upon by the board. He was a man
of forceful character and sturdy integrity and the community felt the impress
of his personality. He was twice married, his first union having been blessed
with seven children, namely: Jane, Joseph, Elizabeth, Marguerite, Robert,
Martha and William, all of whom are deceased, while by his second mar-
riage, to the mother of the subject of this sketch, there were born the fol-
lowing children: Benjamin, deceased; John R., Nathan N., deceased; Cyrus
N. S., Isaac N., and Harriett N., deceased.
Cyrus N. S. Xeeld received his education in the common schools of
Monroe county, but has through the subsequent years liberally supplemented
his school training by much reading and close observation, and is today con-
sidered a well informed man. Mr. Neeld was reared to the life of a farmer,
which he followed a number of years before engaging in his present occupa-
tion. In 1890 he came to Bloomington in partnership with his brother John,
and engaged in the hardware business under the firm style of Neeld & Co.,
of which Cyrus N. S. is now the active owner, though the former firni name is
still unchanged. He carries a large and well selected line of shelf and heavy
hardware and has for many years enjoyed his full share of the public patron-
age. He possesses marked business ability and his courteous treatment of his
patrons and evident desire to please all who come into his store has won a
large acquaintance throughout the community.
On August 31, 1 87 1, Cyrus N. S. Neeld married Julia S. Borland, the
daughter of Edward and I\Iargaret (Caldwell) Borland. Her father, who
was a native of Pennsylvania, and a carpenter and farmer bv vocation, came
to Monroe county in an early day. where he made his permanent home and
lived until his death. His wife was also a native of the old Keystone state
and is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Neeld were liorn two cliildren, Pearl
and Edward B.
Politically, Mr. Neeld was formerly a Re[)ublican, but since IQ12 has
been stanchlv allied with the Progressive partv. Fraternallv, he is a member
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and connected with all four
branches of that order, with which he takes an active and appreciative interest.
Religiouslv, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he
contributes of his means. The subject's career has indeed been an honorable
one and, though strenuous, there is nothing in it flavoring in the slightest
670 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
degree of disrepute, his relations with his fellow men having ever been above
reproach and his good name bevond criticism. As already indicated, he wears
the proud American title of self-made man and, l:)eing in the most liberal
sense of the term the architect of his own fortune, he mav well feel a sense
of pride in his achievements and the honorable position to which he has at-
tained among the enterprising and successful citizens of the countv in which
the busy years of his life have been passed.
WILLIAM A. HUBBARD.
The character of a community is determined largely by the lives of a
comparatively few of its members. If its moral and intellectual status be
good, if in a social wav it is a pleasant place in which to reside, if its reputa-
tion for the integrity of its citizens has extended to other localities, it will be
found that the standards set by the leading men have been high and their in-
fluence such as to mold their characters and shape the lives of those with
whom thev mingle. In placing the subject of this sketch in the front rank of
such men, justice is rendered a biographical fact universally recognized
throughout Lawrence countv bv those at all familiar with his historv. Al-
though a quiet and unassuming man, with no ambition for public position or
leadership, he has contributed much to the material advancement of the com-
munity, while his adniiraljle ([ualities of head and heart and the straight-
forward, upright course of his daily life have tended greatly to the moral
standing of the circles in which he moves and given him a reputation for in-
tegrity and correct conduct such as few achie\'e.
William A. Hubl)ard is a nati\e of the county in which he now lives,
having been born on December 21, 1839, and he has always been a resident of
Lawrence county, and since attaining mature years, has consistently followed
the vocation of farming. He is the son of Aitstin and Essible (Denney) Hub-
bard, both of whom were l)orn in Kentucky, where the father became a suc-
cessful carpenter and millwright. It is to such men as he that the earlv de-
velopment of the pioneer communities of the middle West was largely due,
for he contributed in a very material way to its development in the construc-
tion of the early mills which played so important a part in the welfare and
comfort of the people. Many of the best mills along the river in the pioneer
days were constructed by him and in every avenue of life's activities to which
he gave his attention he did his best and was numbered among the sterling
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 67I
citizens of the community. He and his wife are both now deceased, his death
having occurred in i860. They were the parents of tlie following children:
Mrs. Elizabeth Todd, deceased; Mrs. Judith Nichols; Mrs. Martha Litton,
deceased; Mrs. Essible Guthrie, deceased; Mrs. Margaret Bailey, deceased;
Mrs. Harriett Hunter, deceased: Mrs. Xancy "eck. deceased; William A.,
the subject of this sketch, and I\Irs. Lizzie Lee, who lives on a farm near
Tunnelton, this county.
William A. Hubbard secured his education in the common schools of
the neighborhood in which he was reared, and supplemented this educational
training by much close reading and wide observation of men and events, so
that he is now considered a well informed man and intelligently alive tu all
public questions of the day. He was reared to the life of a farmer and has
never seen good reason to forsake this calling, in which he has met with
distinctive success, l.)eing now numljered among the leading farmers of this
community. He has a splendid farm of thnx- Imndrecl acres in (iutli-
rie township, on which he is carrying on general farming, connected with the
breeding and raising of high-grade live stock, which lie has found to be a
very valuable and profitable auxiliary to agriculture. The farm is well im-
proved in e\ery respect and is a pleasing sight to the passerby.
On Januarv i, i86g, Mr. Hubbard married Sarah E. Solbey. the daugh-
ter of (leorge and Jennie (Frv) SoIIjca', the father a native of Kentuckv and
the mother of Indiana. To Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard have been born ten chil-
dren, namely: Oliver, deceased; Albert, who is engaged in the mercantile
business at Orleans. Indiana ; Mrs. Delia Johnson, of this county ; Fletcher, a
successful farmer of this cotmty ; Samuel ; Mrs. Sadie Fidler, whose husband
is a farmer in Lawrence county; Mrs. Jennie Brinn, whose husband is a
farmer in Lawrence county; Otto, who lives near Bedf(_)rd ; Mrs. Ella Right,
whose husband is a farmer in Lawrence county, and Noble, who lives with
his father on the home farm.
Politically. William A. Hubbard is an ardent supporter of the Re])ublic-
an partv, in whose interests he has voted consistently for many years. His
activities in his private affairs, however, have precluded his taking a very im-
portant part in political matters and he has never aspired to political position.
During the war of the Rebellion Mr. Hubbard signified his patriotic spirit by
enlisting as a private in the Forty-third Regiment Indiana \'olunteer In-
fantry, he being assigned to Company C, with which lie took part in active
military service for three vears. He endured many privations and hard.ships,
but through it all proved to be a valiant and courageous soldier and earned
the commendation of his superior officers. In private life he is broadminded
672 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and liberal, a thinker and close observer, keeping abreast of the times and in
touch with current thought and discharges the duties of citizenship in a
manner becoming an enterprising and progressive American of the age in
which he lives. He stands high in the esteem of those with whom he mingles,
has many warm friends and has ever tried to do the right as he sees and un-
derstands the right. Quiet and unostentatious and seeking the sequestered
ways of life rather than its tumult and strife, he has ever attended strictly to
his own affairs and made better all who came within the range of his in-
fluence.
LAWRENCE VAN BUSKTRK.
One of the best remembered business men of the past generation in
Bloomington, Indiana, was the late Lawrence Vnn Buskirk, at the time of his
death president of the First National Bank. Of Mr. Van Buskirk personally,
it may be .said that he was a man of strong and active sympathies; his tem-
perament was warm and ardent, his feelings deep and intense, and these and
other attractive characteristics unconsciously drew him an unusual numlier of
devoted friends, upon whom, under all circumstances, he could rely, and who,
now that he has passed from earthly scenes, re\ere his memory. He was a
close student of human nature and comprehended with little effort the motives
and purposes of men, and he was a lover of the truth and sincerity. In brief,
he is remembered as a manly man, of pleasing but dignified presence, a student
of many subjects and an influential man in the circles in which he moved. Of
sound character and unflagging energy, he stood as a conspicuous example of
symmetrically developed American manhood and his position as one of the
community's representative citizens was conceded by all who knew him.
Lawrence Van Buskirk was born in Bloomington, Indiana, June 21,
1867, and died at his home in that city on Novemlier 21, 1910. He was the
son of George A. and Martha A. (Hardesty) Buskirk, the father a native of
New York, while the family was originally of Holland descent. To George
and Martha Buskirk were born fi\e children : ?\Irs. N. U. Hill, George A.,
Martha, Phillip Kearney and Lawrence. Lawrence Buskirk received his pre-
liminary education in the public schools of his native city, was a student in
Indiana University, where he received the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and
Bachelor of Laws. He then entered the University of Michigan, at Ann Ar-
bor, where he remained for about a year, being compelled to relinquish his
studies on account of ill liealth. Returning to Bloomington, Mr. Bus-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 673
kirk became prominently identified with the business and civic Hfe of the city
and up to the time of his death he was a potent factor in the growth and de-
velopment of the city. He was twice elected mayor of the city and gave to
the administration of his official duties the same careful and painstaking at-
tention that he always gave to his private business affairs. He was then ap-
pointed postmaster of Bloomington, and was twice commissioned to succeed
himself, but resigned before serving his third term in order to accept the
presidency of the First National Bank, to which he had been elected. His ad-
ministration as postmaster was eminently satisfactory to both the department
officials and the patrons of the office, for, appreciating his position as a ser-
vant of the people, he maintained the efficiency of the office and the mail
service at the highest possible standard. As president of the First National
Bank, Mr. Buskirk demonstrated the possession of business and execu-
tive abilities of the highest order, and much of the splendid success which
characterized that institution was due to his energetic efiforts and personal in-
fluence.
On April 22, 1 89 1, Lawrence V. Buskirk was married to Alice Allen,
the daughter of Dr. Wesley and Rebecca Ann (Jones) Allen. Her father, who
was himself a native of Indiana, was a scion of sterling old Virginia stock
and in him were embodied those stanch qualities for which the old families of
that section of the country were noted. Wesley Allen was twice married,
two children, Orpha and Alice, being born to the first union, while by the
second union he had a son, Wesley. To Mr. and Mrs. Buskirk were
born three children, namely : Allen Van, Lawrence Van, who died on Decem-
ber II, 1910, and Martha A.
Politically, Mr. Buskirk was an- earnest supporter of the Republican
party and was deeply interested in public afifairs of the day. Fraternally, he
was a member of the Masonic order, in which he had received all the degrees
attainable, belonging to the blue lodge, the chapter of Royal Arch Masons,
the council of Royal and Select Masters, the commandery of Knights Tem-
plar, and the consistory of the Scottish Rite, in which he had been honored
by the thirty-third and last degree. He was a Knight of the Red Cross of
Constantine and Appendent Orders. He was also a member of the Ancient
Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, in all of which he took an appreciative interest. In college he belonged
to the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity of Bloomington and the Phi Delta Phi fra-
ternity of Michigan University. At the time of his death Mr. Buskirk was
(43)
674 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
treasurer of Indiana University, in which he had served efficiently for several
years.
Mr. Buskirk was one who took a delight in existence. It was because he
was in touch with the springs of life. He did not permit material things to
supplant his better nature. His life was filled with good deeds and kindly
thoughts and all who knew him entertained for him the highest regard, by
reason of his upright, honorable career, over the record of which there falls
no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. In all life's relations he was true
and faithful to duty and he thereby won the unqualified confidence and regard
of his fellow men.
WALTER H. JONES.
The office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of
himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave upon the record the ver-
dict establishing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of his
neighbors, friends and fellow citizens. The life of the honorable subject of
this review has been such as to elicit just praise from those who know him
best, owing to the fact that he has aUva}S been loyal to trusts imposed upon
him and has been upright in his dealings with his fellow men, at the same time
lending his support to the advancement of any cause looking to the welfare of
the communitv at large.
Walter H. Jones was born in Monroe county, Indiana, on the 2nd day
of August, 1871, and is the son of John Wesley and Elizabeth (May) Jones.
The father, who also was a native of Monroe county, followed farming in
Van Buren township for manv vears, 1)ut is now living retired in Victor, this
county. He is a strong Democrat in !iis political views and served for a num-
ber of years as justice of the peace and assessor of Indian Creek township.
To him and his wife were born eight children, of whom five survive. The
subject of this sketch is indebted to the common schools for his educational
discipline and he was reared to the lite of a farmer, which pursuit he followed
for a number of years. He then engaged in the stone business, which de-
manded his attention for twenty-two years, or until his election to the office
of county sheriff in 191 2, in which position he is now rendering efficient and
satisfactory service. For the last four years he has been connected with the
MclNIillan Stone Company, one of the strong companies engaged in this in-
dustry in this locality. Mr. Jones possesses business ability of a high order
and, being a man of indefatigable and enterprising spirit, he has been a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 675
valued associate wherever he has heen thrown with other men in affairs of
business.
Walter H. Jones was united in marriage with Maggie Douglas, daughter
of William Douglas, who was a nati\e of Scotland, and a stone cutter by
trade. He came to this country in an early day and became a highly respected
resident of his community. To the subject and his wife have been born two
children, Harold and Raymond, both of whom are at home.
Politically, the subject of this sketch is a stanch supporter of the Demo-
cratic party, in the councils of which he has been a prominent figure. His
fraternal affiliations are with the Improved Order of Red Men and the Wood-
men of the World, belonging to the lodges of these orders at Bloomington.
Although a quiet and unassuming man, IMr. Jones has contributed much to the
material advancement of the community by his admirable qualities of head
and heart, and the straightforward, upright course of his life has tended
greatly to the moral standing of the circles in which he moves and given him
a high reputation for integrity and correct conduct. He is a man of liberal
views, believes in progress and improvement and does what he can to further
these ends, taking an interest in whatever makes for the material advance-
ment of the county and the social, intellectual and moral good of the people.
ALEXANDER BARNES.
The student interested in the history of Lawrence county does not have
to earn,' his investigations far into its annals before learning that Alexander
Barnes has long been one of its most active and leading citizens in its agri-
cultural and stock-raising interests and that his labors have been a potent
force in making this a rich agricultural region, for through several decades
he has carried on general farming, gradually improving his valuable place,
and while he has prospered in this he has also found time and ample oppor-
tunity to assist in material and civic development of the county.
Alex Barnes, whose fine farm is located in Indian Creek township, where
he enjoys an enviable reputation among his fellow agriculturists, was born
in Spice Valley township, Lawrence county, Indiana, on September 14, 1873,
and is the son of Lewis and Anna (Gerkin) Barnes. The subject's father
was born on a farm in Spice Valley township, Lawrence county, in 1840, was
reared to the life of a farmer and educated in the common schools. His
active years were devoted to farming and the distillery business. He was
676 l.AWRKNCK AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
succcsslnl in his iilYairs .ind (.Miitiyi'd tlu- rcs|)(.'ci ,>\ ilic (.'iiliri' ooniiminitv.
,llis wile was lioiii in Martin ccinnt\-. Indiana, in 1S.4S, and was one of foni"
children, the others heini; named Miller, John and iunily. Her death oc-
curred on l'"ehrnary <), i()(U). She and her hnshand wire faith I'nl members of
the Christian church.
The subject (d' this sketch recei\ed his education in the public schools
and dnrinj;- all his acti\e yeais has dexoteil his eneri^ies to aj^ricnltural pur-
suits, in which he has been eniineiith' successful, lie is the owner of one
hundred and four acres of as i^'ood land as can be found in Indian Creek
township, and has ninety acres inuler cnltixation, j^rowin;.;- all the crops com-
mon to this locality. 1 le also i;i\es some attention to stock raising, which he
has found to be a valuable auxiliary to the farm, and so carries on his opera-
tions as to reap \'ery gratifying results. I lis ])lace is highly improved, proper
rotation of crops and necessary fertilization retaining the fertility of the soil
so that the farm has been maintained at the highest standard of excellence
during all the )ears which it has been in the possession of ]\Ir. Barnes.
In December, iN()S, Mr. I'arnes was united in marriage to Minnie Will-
iams, a native of Indian Creek township, Lawrence county, and to them have
been born the following children: (iladxs, born September i, 1899; Mabel,
born October 5, 1005: iMuiest, born Julv 11, 1908, and Ernest, born Novem-
ber 24, 191J. Fraternallv, Mr. Barnes is a member of the Independent Order
of Odd bVllows and the Knights of Pythias. He is a busy man and, judged
by his labors, none have done more to advance the material interests of his
section of the county, and as a citi/en no one stands liigher in the esteem and
conlulence of the peo[)le generally.
COL THEODORE J. LOUDEN.
Indiana has been especially honored in the character and careers of her
public and professional men. In e\ery county there have been found individ-
uals born to leadership in the various vocations and professions, men who
have dominated by superior intelligence, natural endowment and force of
character. A lawyer .^f acknowledged ability a business man of superior
qualifications, a man of high standing in military affairs, and a citizen of
integrity and honor. Col. Theodore J. Louden has made a definite impression
on the histor>^ of his section of the state, of which he is one of her distinguish-
ed and honored native .sons, ^fonroe countv has been dignitied bv his life and
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 677
achievements, and he stands as a worthy and conspicuous man of a striking
group of public men whose influence in the civic, educational, business and
professional circles of this section of the state has been of a most beneficent
order, and he is clearly entitled to specific mention in the annals of the locality.
Theodore J. Louden was born at Bloomington, Indiana, on April 19,
1867, and is a son of John H. and Lizzie C. (Hemphill) Louden. John H.
Louden was a native of Pennsylvania, and in an early day came to Fayette
county, Indiana. After completing his studies in the common schools, he
entered the State University, where he was graduated in the liberal arts de-
partment in 1861 and in the law department in 1863. In the latter year he
entered upon the active practice of his profession at Bloomington, in which
he was continuously and successfully engaged up to the time of his death,
which occurred on June 3, 1911. A Republican in politics, he took an active
part in public affairs during his early life, but during his later years, on ac-
count of extreme deafness, which interfered with his work in tlie court room,
he devoted his time largely to the preparation of cases and the brieling of
cases for the supreme court. Mrs. Lizzie C. (Hemphill) Louden was a native
of South Carolina and was a woman of exalted character and purity of life.
She was one of the early organizers of the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, and at the time of her death, which occurred on January 2^^. 1909, she
was actively working for the erection of a public drinking fountain on the
public square, Bloomington. After her death, the work ceased until during
1913, when efforts were renewed by the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, who have secured from the county commissioners a site and have let
the contract for the erection of a drinking fountain, which will be established
as a memorial to Mrs. Louden. .\t the instigation and expense of Col. Theo-
dore J. Louden, the portraits of John H. and Lizzie C. Louden are repro-
dviced in this work. To John H. and Lizzie Louden were born three children,
namely: Theodore J., the immediate subject of this review; Ida J., the wife
of Harry E. Coblentz, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he is principal of the
Southside high school; William M., an attorney at Bloomington. who is rep-
resented elsewhere in this work.
Theodore J. Louden secured his elementary education in the public
schools of Bloomington, having been a member of the first class to enter the
Central school building, which had just been completed. He completed his
education in Indiana University, graduating from the literary department in
1889 and the law department in 189 1. He was at once admitted to the prac-
tice of law in the circuit and supreme courts, as well as the federal courts.
678 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and in 1892 he formed a partnership with his father, which continued until
the death of the latter, in 1911. During this period the subject gained a high
standing in his profession, being connected as counsel with some of the most
important litigation in the courts of this section of the state. He also repre-
sented, as attorney, many of the leading local and foreign corporations doing
business in INIonroe county, and for some time he has been district attorney
for the Western Union Telegraph Company, as well as attorney for the
Bloomington National Building and Loan Association ever since its organiza-
tion. Colonel Louden owns the largest private law library in southern In-
diana, having acquired this from his father, and owns a complete abstract of
all real estate in Monroe, these abstract books having been started by John H.
Louden in the early seventies and brought down to date. His professional
career is too familiar to the readers of this work to require any fulsome
encomium here, his record speaking for itself in stronger terms than the
biographer could employ in polished periods. Suffice it to say that as an
attorney, who has a comprehensive grasp upon the philosophy of jurispru-
dence, he is easily the peer of his professional brethren at the bar, among
whom he is held in the highest esteem.
Aside from his profession. Colonel Louden is in various ways interested
in the commercial and business life of his community. He is a stockholder in
the First National Bank, the oldest financial institution in Monroe county,
and is an officer and director in seven or eight of the stone companies of the
county, having long taken the keenest interest in the development of the re-
sources of this county. He also platted Louden's addition to Bloomington,
whicli is a very attractive and centrally located addition to the city. The
Colonel lias been an ardent supporter of Indiana University and for eight
years was treasurer of the LTniversity Athletic Association. He erected
Alpha Hall, a dormitory for young ladies attending Indiana University, which
building is a credit to any city or institution of learning, and in many other
ways lie has =hown a broad-gauged interest in all that affects the welfare of
his community in any way, earning and holding the respect and admiration
of his fellow citizens.
That the subject of this sketch is a man of versatile talents and interests
is manifested also in the prominent and active part he has taken in the military
affairs of his state. In 1891 he assisted in organizing a company in the In-
diana National Guard, and he was mustered into the state service, serving
first as corporal and then as sergeant. On June i, 1891, he was elected and
commissioned as lieutenant of infantry, and on April 23, 1894, he \vas com-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 679
missioned a captain of infantry and given command of Company H, First
Regiment. He held this position until June 6. 1896, when, on competitive
examination of all captains of the First Infantry, he was commissioned as
major, in which capacity he served until the call for volunteers in the war with
Spain. On May 12, 1898, he was commissioned a major in the One Hun-
dredth and Fifty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and served with credit
and distinction in this capacity until mustered out of the service on Novem-
her 23, 1898. In 1900, when the Indiana National Guard was reorganized.
he was commissioned as major on April 27th, and served in this capacity until
February 24, 1905, when he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. On July 12,
1912, he was commissioned a colonel of infantry and assigned to the com-
mand of the Third Regiment, all his prior service having been with the First
Regiment. On the ist of February, 19 13, at his own request, he was trans-
ferred from the Third to the command of the First Regiment. With a
thorough and practical knowledge of military tactics, and possessing admin-
istrative qualities of high order. Colonel Louden has satisfactorily discharged
his military duties and among his brother officers and in the department he is
held in high regard, while the men under him have for him the deepest
respect.
On Deceml^er 24, 1896, Theodore J. Louden was married to Anna Rein-
hard, a daughter of the late Judge George L. and ~Sla.ry E. (AA'ilson) Rein-
hard, her father a native of Bavaria, Germanv, and her mother born in Ken-
tucky. George L. Reinhard came to America in boyhood, locating in Union
countv, Indiana, where he obtained employment as a day laborer. At the
outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, being later transferred to Company I of the Fifteenth
Indiana Regiment. He was offered a commission, but declined it, preferring
to fight in the ranks. He was mustered out in 1865, and tlien completed his
educational studies in INIiami College. Oxford, Ohio, where he graduated in
1866. He then taught school at Owensboro, Kentucky, where he was mar-
ried. Taking up the study of law, he was admitted to the bar and moved to
Rockport, Indiana, where, in 1876, he was elected prosecuting attorney, and
in 1882 became judge of the circuit court. During this incumbency he wrote a
book on Indiana criminal law, wdiich is regarded highly in legal circles. Judge
Reinhard was regarded as an authority on criminal law-. In 1891 he was ap-
pointed by Go^'ernor Ho^'ey a judge on the first appellate court bench, where
he served two terms. He was nominated for judge of the supreme court,
but was defeated. In 1896 he was made a professor of law in the State
University, later became dean of the Law School, and subsequently was made
680 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
vice-president of the university, in which position he served until his death,
which occurred in 1906. To him and his wife were born two children, Anna,
Mrs. Louden and Nellie.
To Colonel and ]\Irs. Louden have been born four children, namely:
"Mary Elizabeth Daughter of the Regiment Louden,'" which name was given
to her in 1898, on the last day of camp at Camp Mount, the name being on
record in the war department at \^^ashington ; George Reinhard, Eleanor and
Katherine Ann.
Politically, Colonel Louden is an ardent supporter of the Republican
party, while, religiously, he is a member of the United Presbyterian church.
Socially, he is a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, having served
as section chief for two years. Personally, the Colonel is genial and unas-
s^uming, a splendid conversationalist and agrt-eable companion, and has a host
of warm and loyal friends in the community where his life has been spent.
LYMAN EMERY SHAW.
Fealty to facts in the analyzation of the character of a citizen of the type
of Lyman Emery Shaw is all that is required to make a biographical record
interesting to those who have at heart the good name of the community, be-
cause it is the honorable reputation of the man of standing and affairs, more
than any other consideration, that gives character and stability to the l:iody
politic and makes the true glory of a city or state revered at home and respect-
ed abroad. In the broad light which things of good repute ever invite, the
name and character of Mr. Shaw stand revealed and secure and, though of
modest demeanor with no ambition to distinguish himself in public position
or as a leader of men, his career has been signally honorable and it may be
studied with profit by the youth entering upon his life work.
Lyman Emery Shaw is a native son of the old Hoosier state, having
been born in Putnam county, on January 16, 1869, and is the son of Lyman
E. and Cassandra (Dicks) Shaw, the former a native of Ivno.x county,
Ohio, and the latter of Indiana. Lyman E. Shaw. Sr., came from his native
state to Putnam county at the age of ten years, his parents settling on a farm
which they had entered from the government, and to the clearing and im-
provement of which the father devoted his active years, following agriculture
throughcjut his life. To these parents were born twelve children, namely:
Maggie, Frank, Mattie and Emma are deceased; Ethel, a twin of Emma;
LYMAN E. SHAW
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 68l
George, ^^'illiam, Lyman E., Nora; Cora, a twin of Xora, is deceased; Bertha
and Oliver, the latter being deceased.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the pubhc schools of
Putnam county, after which he took up afTairs on his own account hv engag-
ing in the mercantile business at Greencastle. Some time later he came to
Bloomington and engaged in the photograph business for sixteen years, then
engaged in the coal, sand and cement business, in which he met with success
from the beginning and in which he is still actively engaged. He carries a
large supply of all the lines mentioned and, because of his eminent business
ability, his evident desire to please his customers and his promptness in his
deliveries, he has gained his full share of the local patronage.
Politically. Mr. Shaw was formerly a Republican, Init is now giving an
earnest support to the Progressive party, which he believes l:)est represents the
policies that will conserve the welfare of the American people. He holds de-
cided convictions on the great public questions of the day and stands squarely
on every proposition to which he gives his support. Fraternally, he is a mem-
ber of the Knights of Pythias, in the workings of which splendid order he
takes an appreciative interest. Religiously, he is a member of the Chruch of
Christ.
On November 5, 1895, ^Mr. Shaw was married to Lula Baker, a daugh-
ter of James A. and Margaret ( Latell) Baker, both representing old families
of Monroe countv. To this union was born one child, Raymond Emery, who
died at the age of six months, and the mother died in 1904, at the early age
of thirty-three years. Mrs. Shaw was a lady of sterling worth, whose many
kindlv deeds and loving ministrations will be remembered in the neighbor-
hood which she blessed and made better by her presence and influence. Per-
sonally, Mr. Shaw is a man of force of character and personality and enjoys
a high degree of popularity in the community, possessing as he does the quali-
ties of mind and heart that win and retain warm friendships.
ANDREW DODDS.
It is a well authenticated fact that success comes as the results of legiti-
mate and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in
a course of action when once decided upon. She is never know-n to smile upon
the idler or dreamer and she never courts the loafer, and only the men who
have diligently sought her favor are crowned with her blessings. In tracing
682 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the history of the influential farmer and representative citizen of Guthrie
township, Lawrence county, Indiana, whose name forms the caption of this
review, it is plainly seen that the prosperity which he enjoys has been won by
commendable qualities and it is also his personal worth that has gained for
him the high esteem of those who know him.
Andrew Dodds, one of the best-known citizens of Guthrie township,
Lawrence county, Indiana, was born in this county on February 25, 1857,
and is the son of Samuel and Sophia (Kindred) Dodds, both of whom were
natives of Jackson county, Indiana. Samuel Dodds came in an early day to
Pleasant Run township and here cleared and developed a splendid farm, this
accomplishment representing a vast amount of hard and continuous labor.
However, he was abundantly rewarded for his efforts, his splendid farm be-
ing numbered among the best in the localit}-. To him and his wife were born
the following children: Henry, deceased; llart, a farmer living in Jackson
county. Indiana; IMcClellan. also a farmer who resides in Lawrence county;
Jolm, a stone cutter at Bedford, Indiana; -Thornton, a successful carpenter
and contractor at Sevmour, Indiana; Mrs. Klizabeth Ellison, whose luisband
is a successful farmer in Lawrence countv ; Mrs. Adda Jackson, also the wife
of a farmer in tliis count}- and suliject of this sketch, who is the last in order
of birth of these children.
/\ndre\v Dodds attended the common schools of Lawrence countv, se-
curing a good practical education, and at the age of twentv-one years he en-
gaged in tlie mercantile business, to which his eft'orts were devoted for a
score of vears. On the death of one of his brothers, he bought tlie lailer's
farm of one hundred and sixty acres near River \%ale, to which lie has since
devoted bis attention and in the operation of which he has met with the most
emphatic success. Thoroughly up to date in his agricultural methods and
using soimd judgment and common sense in his operations, he has achieved
a success that is creditable to him and in his daily life in the community he
lias so lix-ed as to command the favoralile attention of all who know him.
Political]}', Mr. DodiL is an earnest supporler of the Democratic party,
and in if)o8 he was elected trustee of Guthrie township, in which capacity he
is still serving to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Religiou.sly,
he is a mem1)er of the Bajitist cliurrh, to which he gives a liberal support,
while his fraternal memliership is with Lodge No. 164, Knights of Pvthias, at
Tunnelton.
On September 8, 1888, Mr. Dodds married Francis L. Pain, the daugh-
ter of John D. and Jane (Hamilton) Pain, both natives of Jackson countv,
Indiana, and to this union have been born six children, namelv: Mrs. Cora
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 683
Beasley, of Brooklyn, Indiana; William T., a farmer in Lawrence county;
Fred W., of Jamestown, North Dakota; Mrs. Delia Whitted, whose husband
is a successful farmer in this county; Mrs. Blanche Blackburn, of Bedford,
and Edna, the youngest, who lives with her parents at Tunnelton. The sub-
ject is a man of kindly disposition, pleasant to all classes, honest and thor-
oughly trustworthy, according to the large circle of acquaintances which he
claims, and he is much admired by all who know his uprightness and business
integrity.
ALEX COX.
Practical industry, wisely and vigorously applied, never fails of success.
It carries a man onward and upward, brings out his individual character and
acts as a powerful stimulus to the efforts of others. The greatest results
in life are often attained by simple means and the exercise of the ordinary
qualities of common sense and perseverance. . The every-day life, with its
cares, necessities and duties, affords ample opportunities for acquiring experi-
ence of the best kind and its most beaten paths provide a true worker with
abundant scope for eft'ort and self improvement.
Alex Cox, who is numbered among the sterling citizens and progressive
farmers of Indian Creek township, Lawrence county, Lidiana, was born on
June 10. 1873, at AA'illiams, near his present home. He is the son of Heniw
and Emma J. (Kern) Cox, old residents of Indian Creek township. The
father was born Xovemlier 21, 1836. and died on December 25, 1909, while
the mother was born November 17, 1846, and died September 24, 1904.
To these parents were liorn three daughters, besides the subject of this sketch,
namely: Minnie May, now ]\Irs. Mavity : Idis, now Mrs. Wilking, and
Blanche, now Mrs. Herschel Baker, who is represented elsewhere in this
volume. All the children are living and are residing in Lawrence county.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the paternal farmstead and-
earlv learned the secrets of successful agriculture, a vocation to which he has
devoted his entire active life. He is now the ov.ner of three hundred and
ninety acres of splendid land, of which one hundred and twenty-five acres are
under cultivation and on which he raises all the crops common to this locality,
giving preference to corn, while he also gives a due share of his attention to
the raising of live stock, principally cattle, hogs and fine horses, in the hand-
ling of which he has met with splendid success. Mr. Cox owns one of the
best farms in Indian Creek township, his comfortable and attractive residence.
684 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
large and commodious barns and other outbuildings testifying to the excellent
taste and sound judgment of the owner. The residence sits on a knoll com-
manding a splendid view of the Indian Creek valley.
Mr. Cox was united in marriage to Katie B. Bossert, the daughter of
Jacob and Miscena Rebecca (Williams) Bossert, the father born in Wurtem-
berg, Germany, July 5, 1S37, and died on May 16, 1902, while his wife was
born on December 31, 1842, and is now making her home with the subject of
this sketch. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Cox have been born two children, Emily
Francis, born December 18. 1904, and Mabel Miscena, born June 5, 1906.
Mr. Cox's well directed efforts in the practical aft'airs of life, his capable
management of his own business interests and his sound judgment have
brought to him well earned prosperity, his life demonstrating what may be
accomplished by the man of energy and ambition who is not afraid to work
and who has the perseverance to continue his labors in the face of discourag-
ing circumstances. Good natured, easily approached, straightforward and
unassuming, he commands the respect of all with whom he comes in contact
and his friends are in number as his acquaintances.
WALIER A. lOXES.
One (if the enterprising and successful farmers of Lawrence county,
who has succeeded in his chosen vocation soleh through his own courage,
persistency and good management, is Walter .\. Jones, of Indian Creek
township, a man who believes in lending what aid he can to his neighbors
and the general public while advancing" his individual interests, consequently
he is regarded -as (jue of our best citizens in everv respect.
\\'alter A. Jones was born near Anderson. ]\Iadison county, Indiana,
and is the son of John L. Jones, who was l^orn in the state of Virginia on
February ii, 1824. He was a man of prominence in his community and
on the Democratic ticket was elected trustee of In's township, retaining the
position for twenty-four consecutive vears, and lie was also elected a mem-
ber of the board of county commissioners, holding this position for several
years and in other ways exhibiting a commendable interest in the public
affairs of his community. He was a great traveler, having paid tw^o visits
to China, going to the Celestial Empire from San Francisco on a sailing
vessel, requiring many weeks to make the journey. The subject's mother,
who bore the maiden name of Sarah Andrus, was born in Virginia and her
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 685
marriage to ]Mr. Jones occurred in 1857. To their uniun were born the
following children; Harrison L., of Anderson, where he is engaged in gen-
eral farming: ]\Irs. Harriet Hughel, of Anderson. Indiana; John \\'.. also
farming near Anderson; D. R., an attorney at Alexandria, this state; Walter
E., the immediate subject of this sketch; the latter also has two half-brothers
and a half-sister, namely: Homer B., a farmer n.=ar Anderson, Indiana; Dale
C, also a farmer in Aladison count}-, this state, and ]\Irs. ]\Iinnie Ragan, who
lives in Cleveland, Ohio. The suljject's mother rlied in 1874 and his father
on October 9. 1910. After the death of his first wife the subject's father
married and his widow, ]\Irs. Sarah C. Jones, now lives near Anderson, In-
diana.
The subject of this sketch received his early education in the common
schools of Anderson, and in 1894 was a student in the college at Danville,
where he graduated, after which in 1894 and 1S95 he was a student in the
State Universitv at Bloomington. He then engaged in teaching school for
three vears in ^Madison county, after which he became a student in the Indi-
ana law school at Indianapolis during 1898 and 1899. After the completion
of his educational training, Mr. Jones located on his farm of six hundred
and sixty-five acres in Indian Creek township, Lawrence county, Indiana, to
the cultivation and improvement of which he has since devoted his attention.
He is also the owner of two hundred acres of fitie land near Shoals, Martin
county. Indiana, and altogether is in splendid financial circumstances. He
is a practical and methodical man in all he does and his efforts have been
rewarded by a due meed of success. He knows no such thing as idleness
and has been indefatigable in his efforts to maintain his farms at the highest
possible standard of cultivation and agricultural excellency, and among his
fellow agriculturists he is held in the highest regard because of his ability
and success.
Politicallv, ]\Ir. Jones is a Democrat, and in 19 13 was elected a member
of the board of county commissioners, which position he is now filling to the
satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Fraternally, he is a member of Lodge No.
528, Knights of Pythias, in the workings of which he takes a deep interest.
On August 10, 1898, Mr. Jones married Cornelia Williams and they
are now living on her old home place. Her father, Bartemus Williams, was
a native of Tennessee, and her mother, whose maiden name was Rachel
Donald, was a native of Daviess county, Indiana. ]\Ir. and Airs. Jones are
the parents of two sons. John R. and Dee C. Air. Jones' life has been one
replete with duty well and conscientiously performed. In all the relations
of life he has been an advocate of wholesome living and cleanliness in poli-
686 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
tics as well, and has e\er heen outs])oken in his antipathy to wrongdoing,
whether l)y the humble citizen or by the incimiljents of influential offices.
He is a man who in every respect has merited *^he high esteem in which he
is universally held, for he is a man of public spirit, intellectual attainments
and exemplarv character.
WILLIAM E. STIPP.
The biographies of enterprising men, especially of good men, are in-
structive as guides and incentives to others. The examples they furnish of
steadfast purpose and inflexible integrity strongly illustrate what is in their
power to accomplish. Some men belong to no exclusive class in life; appar-
ently insurmountable obstacles have in many instances awakened and de-
veloped their faculties and served as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate
success. The gentleman whose life history is herewith briefly outlined has
lived to good purpose and achieved a much greater degree of success than
falls to the lot of the ordinary individual. By a straightforward and com-
mendable course he has made his way to a respectable position in the world,
winning the esteem and hearty admiration of his fellov.- citizens and earning
the reputation of an enterprising man of affairs v.hich the public has not
l)een slow to recognize and appreciate.
AA'illiam E. Stipp was born on June 14, iS()5, near Palestine, Lawrence
county, Indiana, and is the son uf Thomas and Susan (Guthrie) Stipp, the
former a native of Kentucky and the latter of this state. Thomas Stipp, who
was a lifelong farmer, was [jrominent in local affairs in Lawrence county,
and at one time was a memlier of the board of county commissioners, being
affiliated with the Republican party. He now lives east of Bedford and
enjoys the u.niversal esteem of all who know him. His wife died in 1908.
They were the parents of nine children, all of whom are living but two,
namely: Ellen, the widow of Lawrence Lee, lives on a farm east of Bedford;
Clara is the wife of Joe Llobbs, a member of trie board of county commis-
sioners; John B. is a telegraph operator for the Southern Indiana Railroad
at Bedford; Edward A. is a merchant in Bedford; Dr. Frank E. died about
1909; William E.. the immediate subject of this sketch; Charles, of Elwood,
Indiana; Florence, the wife of Elmer AIcKnight, of Bedford; Myrtle, who
died in 191 3, was the wife of David Ray.
\\'illiam E. Stipp was born and reared on a farm, receiving his ele-
mentary education in the district schools of his home neie-hborhood. Later
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 68/
he became a student at the Alitchell Normal Sch.ool, graduating about 1887,
after which for four years he engaged in teaching the common schools.
During the following two years he was an instructor in the Borden College
at Borden, Indiana, and then for five years filled a like position in the West-
ern Normal College at Bushnell, Illinois. In the meantime he had been giving
serious attention to the study of law and was admitted to the bar in Illinois.
Eventually he became a member of the Lawrence county bar, but never prac-
ticed his profession here. Air. Stipp then engaged as an instructor in the
Curry Business University at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for one year, after
which he returned to Lawrence county and in 1897 was elected county super-
intendent of schools, in which position he rendered efficient service during
the following ten years, a longer tenure of this office than enjoyed by any-
other man in Lawrence county, and this in the face of the fact that at two
different elections the trustees who elected him were of different party faith.
E\-entually resigning the supcrintendency, Mr. Stipp bought the Mitchell
Tribune, and has since given his undivided attention to the publication of
this enterprising, influential newspaper. Possessing a forceful and trenchant
pen, and with a natural instinct for news, Mr. Stipp has made his influence
felt in the community through the columns of his paper and has been an
eminent factor in the progress and advancement of this community. The
Tribune plant is well equipped mechanically, while the editorial columns of
the paper are never dull, but always bright, interesting and newsy. Air.
Stipp has won a warm place in the hearts of his fellow citizens and has mer-
ited the high esteem in which he is held throughout the comnmnity. Ever
alive to the highest and best interests of Alitchell, he has always given his
support to everv movement wliich has been for the welfare of the people
generally and is not backward in expressing his honest convictions on any
subject aft'ecting the common weal.
On August 16, 1892, Mr. Stipp was married to Elizabeth Park, the
daughter of Alban and Sarah (Webb) Park, of Lawrence county, and to
this union has been born one child, Harold, who first saw the light in 1894,
and is now a student in the Indiana Dental College.
Politically, Air. Stipp is an earnest supporter of the Republican party,
while, fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has
attained to the degrees of Royal Arch Alason, having served as secretary of
the local chapter for a number of years. He is also a member of the Knights
of Pythias and the Alodern Woodmen of i\merica. Religiously, he is a mem-
ber of the Presbyterian church at Mitchell, of which he is an elder. Though
raised on a farm and earlv learning the lessons of toil and self-reliance, being
688 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
reared under the wholesome influence of outdoor life which developed both
body and mind, Air. Stipp has been energetic and persistent in the pursuit of
his ideals and today he can look back over a record characterized by duty
well and faithfully performed, and a life controlled by proper motives. Per-
sonally, he is genial and companionable, enjoying a large acquaintance
throughout Lawrence county, among whom are many warm and loyal friends.
E. M. C. HOBBS.
The record of the subject of this sketch is that of a man who, by his
own unaided efforts, has worked his way from a modest beginning to a posi-
tion of influence in his community. His life has been one of unceasing in-
dustry-and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable methods he has
followed have won for him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens of
Monroe county, whose interests he has ever had at heart and which he has
always labored to promote.
E. M. C. Hobbs was born on November 15, 1858, on the paternal farm-
stead near Salem, Washington county, Indiana, and is a son of Dr. Seth and
Elizabeth (Nixon) Hobbs, both of Quaker parentage from North Carolina.
The father, who was for many years a successful practicing physician, was a
native of Washington county, Indiana, who later in life gave up the active
practice of his profession and engaged in farming, which pursuit he followed
till the time of his death, though not entirely relinquishing his professional
labors, being called upon frequently by the old families whom he had treated
for many years. His wife was also a native of Washington county, and is also
deceased. They were the parents of six children, Lamira, Lucian, Havilla C,
Virgil M., E. M. C. and Martha Ellen Whitsitt.
The subject of this sketch received a good, practical education in Wash-
ington county, completing his elementary studies in the high school, and then
became a student in the State Normal School at Terre Haute, Indiana, where
he graduated in 1882. During the following ten years he was engaged in
educational work, teaching in different places and for three years was identi-
fied with the American Normal College at Logansport, this state, and also
serving as superintendent of schools at Brownstown, Indiana. Later he
bought the old homestead and for a number of years engaged in farming and
was then for a number of years state agent for manufacturers of fertilizer.
He was also for six years connected with Purdue University in farmers' in-
(^^^-4-2?^^-^^^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 689
stitute work in practically all of the counties of Indiana, as well as many
places outside of this state. In September, 1906, he and his family moved to
Bloomington for the benefit of the Indiana University training for his family.
In January, 19 13, Mr. Hobbs formed a partnership with S. E. Carmichael at
Bloomington. and, under the firm name of Carmichael & Hobbs, they engaged
in the real estate, loan and insurance business, .\bout the mid-summer of
1913 Mr. Hobbs bought out his partner's interest in the business and now
conducts the affairs under his own name. Owing to his business ability, strict
integrity and energetic methods, he is commanding his full share of the public
patronage in his line and is numbered among the enterprising, progressive and
substantial business men of his community.
On November 2, 1896, Mr. Hobbs married Anna Caspar, daughter of
Lewis and Ellen (Collier) Caspar. Mr. Caspar was a native of Darmstadt"
Germany, who came to America in young manhood, locating near Campbells-
burg, Washington county, Indiana, where he eventually became very success-
ful as a general merchant. He became auditor of his county and died during
his official term. He also owned several farms in that locality and was highly
honored by all who knew him. His wife, Anna Caspar Hobbs, was a native
of Washington county, and had long been a leader in church work and club
life both in Washington and Monroe counties. To ^Ir. and Mrs. Hobbs have
been born three children: Howard C. W'ilber E., deceased, and Ellen E.
Politically, Mr. Hobbs has been a life-long supporter of the Republican
party and has taken an active part in promoting its welfare in liis community.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted INIasons, the Improved
Order of Red Men and the Knights of Pvthias. His religious mem1)ership
is with the Christian church of Bloomington, in which he is a deacon and he
has been for a number of years a teacher of the men's Bible class in the
Sunday school. During his entire life since attaining mature years Air. Flobbs
has taken an active and intelligent interest in all public affairs affecting the
welfare of the community, and while living at Salem, Indiana, he took an
active and effective part in club life institutional affairs and as president of the
board in the building of the sixteen-thousand-dollar Carnegie library there.
Mr. Hobbs is president of the public library board at Bloomington, which is
now planning the erection of a forty-thousand-dollar building in this city.
During the recent local option campaign in Monroe county ^Nlr. Hobbs took a
decided stand for the abolishment of the saloons and at the head of the "dry"
forces in this community he was a very effective agent in advancing the cause
of the prohibition of the traffic here. He is chairman of the Civic League,
(44)
690 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
which has for its object the enforcement of the laws of the community, which
is a strong organization of men with strong financial backing. As a member
of the board of trustees of the Bloomington Bible Chair in connection with the
State University, he has ever done effective work with untiring devotion to
this great movement among the Christian churches of Indiana. Being well
versed in general political affairs and a public-spirited citizen, Mr. Hobbs'
influence has always been felt at local elections and he is looked upon as a man
thoroughly in sympathy with every movement looking to the betterment or
advancement in any way of his community, where he has always been regard-
ed as a man of sterling honesty and worth and worthy of the utmost confi-
dence and respect, which his fellow citizens have been free to accord him
owing to his upright and industrious life. He moves in the best social circles
of this community and, being genial and unassuming in his j-elations with his
fellows, he has won a large and loyal personal following who are themselves
numbered among the best people of the locality.
JESSE A. HOAVE.
Among the enterprising, progressive and public-spirited men w'hose
activity in business and private circles as well as public affairs has made Mon-
roe county one of the thriving counties of Indiana and the city in which he
resides an important center of commerce and industry is the subject of this
brief review, who is at present holding the responsible office of treasurer of
Bloomington and who is regarded as one of the most influential men of this
city.
Jesse A. Howe was born on March 11, 1869, at Bloomington, Monroe
county, Indiana, and is the son of Joshua O. and Margaret E. (Abel) Howe.
The father, who was a nati\'e of Monroe county, followed the shoe business
for many years, relinquishing active affairs, however, several years before his
death. He also owned a farm in Monroe county, but did not follow active
agricultural work himself. He was a Democrat in politics, but never aspired
to public office. His wife, who was also a native of this county, is still
living. They were the parents of two children, Irene and Jesse A.
. The subject of this sketch received his education in the common and high
schools of his native city, and soon after leaving school he entered the con-
fectionerv business on his own account, in which he is still actively engaged
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 69I
at the present time, having buih up one of the most successful enterprises of
the kind in Monroe county and having, on October 29, 1913, l>een engaged in
the business twenty years. He has apphed himself closely to his business
affairs and by his innate courtesy and desire to please his customers he has
enjoyed a marked popularity in the communitv. Tn 1909 Mr. Howe was
elected treasurer of Bloomington and entered upon the discharge of his duties
on the 1st day of the following year. His present term will expire on January
I, 1914, but he has been reelected to the office. He has discharged his official
duties in a manner to win the commendation and approval of his fellow-
citizens, and is one of the most popular members of the city officiary.
On June 3, 1896, Mr. Howe was married to Larena Hopewell, the daugh-
ter of Isaac P. and Nancy (Ritter) Hopewell. The father, who was a
native of Kentuck}- and a successful farmer, but who has now retired from
active liusiness pursuits, moved to }kIonroe county about 1883. He is an
active Republican of the "stand-pat" wing of the party and has served as a
member of the county council. Mrs. Howe's mother, who also was a native
of Kentucky, is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Howe has been born one
son. Fred H. H.
Politically, Mr. Howe is a staunch Democrat and is active in the support
of his party. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose, belonging to the subordinate
lodges at Bloomington. He is a man of splendid personal qualities, possess-
ing those characteristics which win and retain friendship and is deservedly
popular throughout the community.
Mrs. Howe's father, Isaac P. Hopewell, enlisted as a private in the Forty-
third Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry at Indianapolis on the 14th day
of February, 1865, under the command of Lieutenant John and Colonel Mc-
Clain, and he served one hundred and thirty days, the command not leaving
Indianapolis, as the war was about closed. Mr. Hopewell received an honor-
able discharge on June 24, 1865.
The subject's maternal grandfather. Elias Abel, was treasurer of Mon-
roe county for fourteen years, being a strong Democrat and an active man
in the furthering of all civic enterprises. Both the Abel and Howe families
in Monroe county have long been recognized as among the representative and
progressive citizens of the community.
692 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FRED I. OWENS.
An enumeration of the representative citizens of Monroe county, In-
diana, would be incomplete without specific mention of the well known and
popular gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. A member of one of
the old and highly esteemed families of the central part of the state and for
many years a public-spirited man of affairs, he has stamped the impress of his
individuality upon the community and added luster to the honorable name
which he bears, having always been scrupulously honest in all his relations
with his fellow men and leaving no stone unturned whereby he might benefit
his own condition as well as that of his neighbors and friends, consequently
he has long ago won the favor of a great number of people of Ellettsville
and Richland township where lie maintains his home.
Fred I. Owens was horn in 1865 in Monroe county, Indiana, and secured
his education in the public schools of this locality, completing his training in
the Bloomington high school. His first active effort on his own account was
as a farmer, to which vocation he had been reared and he has ever since
devoted his attention to this basic pursuit. For about three years he was also
engaged in the stone business in partnership with Eugene E. Berry, in which
he met with splendid success, and is also identified with the People's State
Bank at Ellettsville, to a large extent contributing to the success of this in-
stitution by his personal influence. The People's State Bank has a capital of
twenty-five thousand dollars and a surplus of seven thousand dollars, the
stockholders all being local men. Of this institution Mr. Owens is president,
while the other officials are W. B. Harris, vice-president ; G. A. Draper,
cashier: and Fred ]\Iatthews, B. G. Hodley, John R. Harris and William B.
Harris, directors. This is one of the strong financial institutions of this sec-
tion of the county.
In 1897 Mr. Owens married Ann M. Myers, the daughter of William
and Mary Myers, who were early settlers of Owen county. Indiana, though
originally from the state of Kentucky.
Politically a Republican, Mr. Owens has never been a strong participant
in political affairs, but was elected a member of the county council, in which
he rendered faithful and efficient service seven years. A man of good judg-
ment and sound common sense, his- opinions and actions as a member of the
council were held in high value by his associates. Fraternally, he is a member
of the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Elletts-
ville and the lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Bloom-
FRED I. OWENS
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 693
ington. Mr. Owens is regarded as a good business man of excellent judgment
and foresight and he has been very successful in his business career. He
keeps well abreast of the times, being a wide reader of current topics and has
won the respect and esteem of all who know him for his friendly manner,
his business ability and upright living, and he is regarded by all as one of the
substantial and progressive citizens of his section of the county.
ISAAC WILLIAMS.
The subject of this review is a representative farmer and stock grower
of Indian Creek township, Lawrence county, Indiana, and he is known as
•one of the alert, progressive and successful agriculturists of this favored
section of the Hoosier state. In his labors he has not permitted himself to
follow in the rut in a blind, apathetic way, Init hus studied and experimented
and thus secured the maximum returns from his enterprising efforts, while
he has so ortlered his course at all times as to •■ommand the confidence and
regard of the people of the comnumitv in which he lives, being a man of
honorable business methods and advocating whatever tends to promote the
public welfare in any way.
Isaac AA'illiams was liorn in Indian Creek township, Lawrence county,
Indiana, on the same farm on which his father, Bart Williams, first saw the
light of day. The latter was a successful farmer during his acti\e years and
his death occurred in June, 1882. The subject's mother, whose maiden name
was Angeline Hamerslev, was born in Martin county, huliana, in 1836, and
her deatli occurred in August, iSyi. The suliject's paternal grandfather was
born in Xorth Carolina, mox'ing from that state to Tennessee, where he
located on I^-ench Ikoad river. Lie li\eil there until 1816, when he came to
Indiana, settling in tlie old Williams settlement after a tiresome overland
journey, the entire cost of his moving to Indiana having Ijeen sixty,five
dollais. To the suljject's grandfather were born eight sons and two daugh:
t'.rs,. namely : Abel, deceased; Richard, Pryor, Dickson, Andrew Jackson;
FJkanah, who became a successful doctor in Ci'icinnati : Bart, father of the
subject: Mrs. Mahala Kern, deceased: yirs. Cornelia Boyd, deceased: Ves-
man, deceased. To the suljject's parents were born the following children:
I.'-aac, the immediate subject of this sketch: ]\Irs^ Cornelia Jones: Mrs. So-
phia Smith, and Richard G., deceased. Bart Williams lived in Shoals, In-
<!iana. while the rest of the children li\-ed at Williams.
694
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The subject of this sketch recei\ed his education in the common schools
of Indian Creek township, and supplemented this by a course of study in
Danville College, where he spent a year. After the completion of his edu-
cation he returned to the home farm and has since then been engaged in its
management and operation, in which he has met with very pronounced suc-
cess. He is the owner of twenty acres of land and in addition to the manage-
ment of his home place he is also engaged in the operation of a stone crusher,
in which he t^wns an interest. In everything to which he has turned his hand
Mr. Williams has given his very best efforts, with tiie result that he has not
oidy gained a material success, but, what is of more value, the esteem and
respect of his fellow citizens.
On Novemlier ii, 1889, Mr. Williams married Lola C. Kern, to which
union have been l)orn seven children, namely: S\lvester, Albert, Jennie and
Dale are deceased: Roxy A. and Fred D., aged respectively nineteen and
eleven years, are with the parents, as is Mary Bell, who is four years old.
Politically. Mr. Williams had been a lifelong Republican up to the cam-
paign of 19 1 2, at which time he cast his political fortunes with the Pro-
gressive party, being firmly convinced that the policies of that party as advo-
cated by Theodore Roosevelt and Hiram Johnson are conducive to the best
interests of the American people at large. His religious belief is that of the
Christian church, of which he his l)een a member for a number of years,
while, fraternally, he is a men.iber of Lodge Xo. 528, Knights of Pythias, of
Williams. He has e\er enjoyed the respect and esteem of those who know
him for his friendly manner, business aliility, l.iis interest in public affairs
and upright living, and is regarded by all as one of the substantial and worthy
citizens of his localitv.
THOMAS S. HARDAVICK.
Among the enterprising and progressive citizens of Lawrence county
none stand higher in the esteem of his fellow^ citizens than the gentleman
whose name forms the caption of this sketch. He has long been actively en-
gaged in agricultural pursuits in this county and the years of his residence
here have but served to strengthen the feeling of admiration on the part of
his fellow men owing to the honorable life he has led and the worthy example
he has set the younger generation, consequently the publishers of this bio-
graphical compendium are glad to give such worthy character representation
in this work.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 695
Thomas S. Hardwick is a native of the old BKie Grass state of Ken-
tucky, having been born in Pulaski county and is the son of Ger)rge ^^^ Hard-
wick, who was born in that state on October 2, 1823. The family home-
stead was in Wayne county, Kentuck}-, for many years, where the members
of the family were engaged in general farming. George W. Hardwick was
a veteran of the Civil war, ha\ing serxed in the Twelfth Regiment Kentucky
Volunteer Infantry, and his death occurred in July, 1876. His wife, who
was born in Wayne county. Kentuck}-, an Ma_\- 7, 1S22. died in 1898. They
l)ecame the parents of seven children, four son> and three daughters.
The suliject of this sketch spent hi-^ early vears in A\'ayne county. Ken-
tucky, and recei\'ed his educational training in the common schools of his
neighborhood. At the age of about twenty years he moved to Indiana, and
in 1 87 1 he came to Indian Creek townshq), Lawrence county, Indiana, where
he has since made his home. He is h.ere engaged in general farming and is
the owner of four hundred and forty acres of splendid land, practically all
of which is in cultivation. In addition to the tilhng of the soil he gi\-es con-
siderable attenti(-)n to the breeding and raisi-.ig of I'olled Angus cattle, and
is also one of the largest fruit growers in the township. He is thoroughly up-
to date in all his operations, keeping closely in touch with the most advanced
ideas relative to farming, horticulture and stock raising, and gives his undi-
vided attention to the work in hand so that he has justly earned the reputa-
tion which he enjoys among his fellow agriculturists.
In April, 1868, Mr. Hardwick married Elizabeth Tnrpin, to which
union ha\e l)een born eight children, namel}- : Mrs. Lucile Harnocker, of
Indian Creek township: Lethea Ellen, who died at the age of thirteen years,
and Martha and two Ijoys in their infancy; E\'erett is a farmer in Indian
Creek township: Walter lives with his parents: ]\lrs. Charity Short, of Indian
Creek township : Homer is a farmer in Indian Creek township : Noble lives
with his parents. Mr. Hardwick was married a second time on February
21, 1900, to Susan Whitted, the daughter of Lorenzo D. Whitted, a nati\e
of North Carolina, who died in i88q, and his wife, whose maiden name was ■
Mary A. Ellison and whose death occurred in 1883.
Politically, the subject of tliis sketch is a staunch supporter of the Pro-
hibition party, believing the temperance question to be the greatest issue now
before the American jieople. His religious connection is with the Baptist
church, of which he is a regular attendant and to which he gives earnest
support. ]Mr. Hardwick is a well informed man on current topics, honest
and upright in all his relations with his fellow men and but few citizens of
his section of the county are better known or more highly respected, for he
696 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
bas spent tlie greater portion of his life within the l)orders of the county and
has always been acti\'e in the promotion of the general welfare.
JOSEPH E. HENLEY.
The subject of this sketch enjoys distinctive prestige in a profession
which requires of those who adopt it a strong mentality and painstaking prep-
aration, together with a natural aptitude for its duties and responsibilities in
order to achieve success. Many enter it allured by the promise of rapid ad-
vancement and earhr distinction, only to fall disheartened by the wayside;
others, under favorable auspices, pursue it for a brief season, to find them-
selves crowded aside by the more worthy and ambitious, thus affording a
striking instance of the law of the survival of the fittest: while the true
searcher after legal lore and the ability to apply his knowledge to the adjust-
ment of human difficulties and mete out justice to offenders is the one who
perseveres despite discouragement until reaching the goal, which is accessible
only to the competent and deseiwing, to which class the subject of this review
belongs, as his continuous advancement and present high standing abundantly
attest.
Joseph E. Henley, than whom none occupies a more honorable standing
among the legal profession in INfonroe covintv, was born near French Lick,
Orange county, Indiana, on April 21, 1856, being a son of Henry and Lydia
M. (Patton) Henley. The father was born near Paoli. Orange county, In-
diana, October, 1826, and his wife was born in North Carolina in 1829.
Henry Henley, who died in 1912, was a prominent man for many years in the
business life of his community. To him belongs the distinction of organizing
the first company for stone quarrying in Hunter Valley, the company being
known as the Hunter Stone Company, organized in 1891. This was a pros-
perous concern and in 1895 was sold to the Consolidated Stone Company for
one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. Mr. Henley continued in his
hne of promoting stone companies and successfully organized the following
companies : Crown Stone Company, New York Stone Company, Clear Creek
Stone Company and the George W. Henley Stone Company, the last named
being now owned and operated by his son. George W. Henlev. Mr. Henley
was regarded generally as a leader in his special line of work, having been
regarded as the pioneer stone man of this section of the state. He was verv
JOSEPH E. HENLEY
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 697
successful in his affairs and enjoyed to a notable degree the confidence and
regard of all who were associated with him. To him and his wife were bom
three children, namely: Laura J., who died in 1892, was the wife of Ed.
Mooney, a prominent citizen of Columbus, Indiana ; the subject of this sketch
was next in order of birth; while the youngest is George W. Henley, who is
prominently connected with the stone business, whose personal sketch appears
elsewhere in this work. The father of these children was a stanch Republican
in his political views and took a deep interest in public affairs. At the out-
break of the Civil war Henry Henley enlisted in defense of his country's
honor and became captain in Company A, Seventeenth Regiment Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, in which he enlisted in 1862. This regiment was as-
signed to the famous Wilder's Brigade and Mr. Henley's record was meritori-
ous in every respect. He was first commissioned captain of the company and
his valor and ability as a commander earned for him the promotion to the
rank of major. He seiwed three years and was considered by General Wilder
one of the best soldiers in the entire brigade. His service was notable in one
special particular in that he was the man who detected and secured tlie arrest
of the leaders of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Though he was held in
distinctive preferment among his fellow soldiers he was a man of modest dis-
position and never sought notoriety. He was a man of strong intellect and
received a good education at Earlham College.
Joseph E. Henley received his preliminary education in the public schools
at Shoals, Indiana, after which he was under the instruction of a private tutor
until 1 87 1 when he entered the State University at Bloomington, where he
graduated in 1875 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. After leaving college
he was engaged in pedagogical work for three years, including one year as
teacher of Greek and German at Smithgrove College, Kentucky, and two years
as superintendent of schools at Shoals, Indiana. In 1878 Mr. Henley entered
upon the active practice of law. for which he has qualified himself by close
and critical study, and the same year he was elected to the office of clerk of
the city of Bloomington, in the discharge of which he rendered efficient
service. In 1882 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the tenth judicial
circuit, where also he gained marked preferment in the minds of those familiar
with his performance of official duty. This judicial circuit at that time con-
sisted of Monroe, Lawrence, Martin and Orange counties, and the office was
an important and busy one. In 1887 Mr. Henley moved to Wichita. Kansas,
where for eight vears he engaged in the practice of his profession, and in
690 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
1895 was a candidate for the Legislature, but was defeated. The same year
he came to Bloomington and formed a partnership with J. B. Wilson under
the firm name of Henley & Wilson which lasted until ^Ir. Wilson was elected
judge of the tenth judicial circuit of Indiana, in 1892. In the meantime
from 1898 until 1902 Mr. Henley had been in Chicago the greater part of the
time, having been engaged in a series of important cases which required his
constant attendance and personal attention there. In 1902 he returned to
Bloomington and practiced law alone until 1908 when he formed a profes-
sional partnership with Rufus H. East, under the firm name of Henley &
East, witli whom he was associated until January i, 1912, since which time
Mr. Henlev has been alone in the practice. It is not enough to say that Mr.
Henley is a leader of the bar, for as an attorney who has a comprehensive
grasp upon the philosophy of jurisprudence he has brought honor and dignity
to the profession to which he belongs and is easily the peer of any of his pro-
fessional brethren in southern Indiana. As a citizen he is public-spirited and
enterprising, and as a friend and neighbor combines the qualities of head and
heart that win confidence and command respect. His long and praiseworthy
record at the liar has never been marred by tactics or actions which have de-
served or invited censure, for he realized early that there is a definite purpose
in life and that there is no honor not founded on worth and no respect not
founded on accomplishment. His weight of character, native sagacity, far-
seeing judgment and fidelity of purpose have commanded the respect of all
and his life has been one of signal integrity and usefulness.
Mr. Henley has been twice married, first in 1883 to Ida May Howe, the
daughter of Joseph Howe, and to this union was born one son. Henry H.,
whose birth occurred in 1884 and who now lives at home. He is an expert
electrical engineer and received a splendid education. After completing the
high school course at Bloomington, he attended the State University for a
short time and then attended the Manual Training School at Indianapolis and
the Technical Institute at Cincinnati. Ohio. In 1895 Mr. Henley married
Mattie E. Copeland. of Winfield, Kansas.
Politically, Mr. Henley is an ardent supporter of the Progressive party,
while religiously he is a member of the ^Methodist Episcopal church. Era-
ternally, he is a member of Lodge No. 446. Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, at Bloomington, of \vhich he was the first exalted ruler. Because of
his professional success, native ability and exalted personal character Mr.
Henley has won and retains to a notable degree the confidence and respect of
all who know him.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 699
HERSCHEL ERNEST BAKER.
The office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate
of himself and his accompHshments. hut rather to leave upon the record the
verdict estabhshing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of
his neighbors and fellow citizens. In touching upon the life history of the
subject of this sketch the writer aims to avoid fulsome encomium and extrava-
gant praise ; yet he desires to hold up for consideration those facts which
have shown the distinction of a true, useful and honorable life — a life char-
acterized by perseverance, energ}-, broad charity and well defined purpose.
To do this will be but to reiterate the dictum pronounced upon the man bv
the people who have known him long and well.
Herschel Ernest Baker, who owns a fine farm in Indian Creek township,
Lawrence county, Indiana, and is numbered among the progressive and public-
spirited citizens of that community, was born near Pekin, Washington county,
Indiana, on July 30, 1888, and is the son of Willard H. and Ollie May
(Caudle) Baker. The father, who was born on a farm near Pekin, Indiana,
on March 29, 1863, received a good public school education and followed
farming during his active years, though at one. time he was foreman in a
stone mill at Bedford, Indiana. Politically, he was a Democrat. His death
occurred at Bedford on March 28, 1913. His wife, who also was born at
Pekin, \\'ashington county, Indiana, died on June 12, 1906. Thev were both
earnest and consistent members of the church of Christ. They were the par-
ents of five children, namely: Herschel Ernest, born July 30. 1888: Clitice
Pearl, July 26, 1891 ; Helen Fern. June 23, 1894; Charles Lemmon, Novem-
ber 14, 1900, and Lloyd Andrew. March 23. 1905. All of these children are
living.
The subject of this sketch spent his early 3'ears on a farm in Clark county,
Indiana, near Sellersburg, and received his education in the public schools
at that place and in the business college at Bedford. He is the owner of two
hundred and thirty acres of splendid land in Indian Creek township, having
about one hundred and thirty acres under cultivation. He carries on general
agriculture, raising all the crops common to this latitude and has met with ex-
cellent success in his calling. He owns a comfortable and attractive residence,
commodious and well arranged barns, while the well kept condition of the
premises indicate the owner to be a man of good taste and sound judgment.
On July 17, 1912, the subject of this sketch was united in marriage to
Blanche Cox, who was born on December 5, 1886, and who was one of four
700 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
children born to their parents, the others being Alex, who is represented else-
where in this work; Minnie, who became the wife of Preston Mavity, and
Ida, the wife of Cyrus Wilking. To Mr. and Mrs. Baker has been born one
child, Willard Henry. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are consistent and active mem-
bers of the Church of Christ, to which they give a liberal support, and in
eveiy relation of life they have been honored and useful members of the com-
munity. They move in the best social circles of the locality in which they
live, and because of their upright lives and sterling integrity they are de-
servedly popular among their acquaintances.
HOWARD CHITTY.
Lawrence county. Indiana, has been especially favored in the personnel
of its newspaper men. and among tlie representatives of this profession in
this county is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch,
who is publisher and editor of the Commercial at ^Mitchell. Here through
the years he has not only gained a distinct business success for himself, but
he has through his personal influence by voice and pen stood for the best
things in the community life with the result that he not only has gained
prestige as an active, aggressive and successful business man, but as one of
the best citizens of the community in the largest sense of the word.
Mr. Chilty was l:iorn on December 6, 1S67, about three miles north of
Mitchell (in the farm owned by his parents, James B. and Elizabeth C.
(Crawford) Chitty, both of whom were natives and lifelong residents of
Lawrence county. The father was f(3r many years a druggist, but later fol-
lowed carpentering until his death, which occurred on September 2, 1913.
His mother, who is still living, makes her home on a farm two miles west
of iMitchell. To these parents were born five children, namely: Harry C, of
Molson. Washington : Howard, the immediate subject of this sketch ; Homer
R., of Spokane, Washington: Herbert, wh.o died in infancy: Madge died at
the age of four years. James B. Chitty was a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church from the lime he was eighteen years old, and was a man
of splendid cliaracter and high personal attainments. Fraternally, he was
a member of the Masonic order, and in his daily life endeavored to exemplify
the sublime precepts of that time-honored fraternity.
Howard Chitty received his education in the country schools of his
home neigh])orhoo(l and at the age of sixteen vears he went into the office
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 7OI
of the Chronicle at Alibene, Kansas, where he learned the printing trade,
being employed there until July, 1886, when he went to Wakeeney, Kansas,
where he remained for nine months and was then for seven years at Dighton,
that state. In 1897 Air. Chitty returned to Lawrence county, and, in part-
nership with H. E. Woolheater, bought the Mitchell Coiiniicrcial, one of the
popular and progressive newspapers of Lawrence county, which they con-
ducted together until 1900, when Mr. Chitty bought his partner's interest
in the enterprise and has since conducted it alone. The Coniiiicrcial. which
is Republican in politics, is the oldest newspaper in Lawrence county, and
through the years of its existence it has wielded a healthful influence on the
life of the comnumity. Mr. Chitty has maintained the prestige of this sheet
and has enlivened its cnlumns so that today it is a welcome visitor in the
hundreds of homes into which it enters. It is a splendid advertising medium
and as a business investment it has proven all that Mr. Chitty expected of it.
On September 9, 1890, Air. Chitty was married to Anna B. Limpus, a
native of Missouri, and to them have been born four children : Alildred, de-
ceased, Lelah, Park and Lillian. Politically, Mr. Chittv is a Republican, and,
fraternally, a member of the Masonic order, while his religious connection
is -with the Christian church, of which he is a deacon. Genial in disposition,
he is a popular niember of the circles in which he moves.
GEORGE B. TACK SON.
Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and
as a usual thing men of honoralile and humane impulses, as well as those of
energy and thrift, ha^'e been patrons of husliandrw The free out-of-door life
of the farm has a decided tendency to foster and develop that independence
of mind and self-reliance which characterizes true manhood and no truer
blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the
healthful, life-inspiring labor of the fields. It has ahvavs been the fruitful
soil from which ha\-e sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and
the majority of our nation's great warriors, renowned statesmen and dis-
tinguished men of letters were born on the farm and were indeljted largely
to its early influence for the distinction whicli they ha\'e attained.
George B. Jackson, one of the well known and poptdar citizens of Lees-
ville, Lawrence county, Indiana, is the son of John T. Jackson, a native of
Middletown, Kentucky, the latter being a son of William and Martha Jack-
son, who had their parentage in the old Blue Grass state. William Jackson,
702 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
who was a farmer l)y vdcation, was a \x'teran of the war of i8t2. To him
and his wife were born the following children : Nathaniel, who spent his entire
life in Kentucky; John T., father i>\ the subject of this sketch; Thomas, liv-
ing at Cannelsliurg. Indiana; James, who was killed during the war at Pitts-
boro; Lizzie, who I)ecame the wife of George Devault, of Cannelsburg, In-
diana, and Catherine. John T. Jackson received only a common school edu-
cation and in young manhood came to the state of Indiana. He learned the
blacksmith's trade and was an expert workman. On October 30, 1853, ^e
married at Leesville, Indiana, Berella Holland, who was born September
4, 183^'), a daughter of John and luirela (Sutherland) Holland, the father a
nati\e of Tennessee and the mother of TpiJcr Canada. John Holland canie
to Indiana with his parents. William and Fetney (Magby) Holland, and
they first settled at Bono, Indiana, of whicli ])lace ]\Ir. Holland was one of
the first merchants. Later the}- mo\ed I0 Lees\ille, where Mr. Holland's wife
died and he later went to Texas, where his death occurred. He was a mer-
chant and land owner and was favoralily known wherever he lived. Their
children were John, William .\., Alelintla, Phoebe, Alelinda the second,
Phoebe the second, Eliza and Xancv. John Holland died on October 25,
1875, ^t the age of se\'enty-one years, having been born in Tennessee on
December 30, 1814. He was the eldest son of \\'illiam Holland, who died in
Texas and who was one of the first settlers of Mill Creek, W^ashington
county. Lie was a successful merchant and ]m1)lic-si)irited citizen, ^^'illiam
and John Holland, a brother, were partners in the mercantile business and
were well and favorably known. John Holland was a kind hearted and char-
itable man, giving liberally to all who were in needy circumstances. He was
a kind father, faithful husband and accommodating neighbor and was an
example of right living in his communitv. His wife was born on December
7. 1816, and died on March 14, [903. 1'hey were tJie parents of the following
children; John R., deceased, who was a merchant at Leesville. Indiana;
Thomas, who died young; b'etney, deceased; Melinda, deceased, who became
the wife of William H. Smith, both now deceased; W. R., a merchant at
Leesville, Indiana, now deceased; and Lerella, the widow of John T. Jack-
son, who li\'es at Leesxille, and is the only sur\i\-or of this family. .\s before
stated, Jcjhn T. Jackson was a blacksmith by trade and for many years con-
ducted a shop at Leesville, Indiana, where he made plows and wagons for
the early settlers in that comnninity. He also followed farming and was
a useful citizen in the community. He was a Democrat in politics and acted
in the councils of his party, was widely known throughout that locality and
highly respected by all who knew him. I lis wife was a member of the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. IXDIANA. 703
Baptist clmrcli. To them were born ten children, namely: Annie E., now-
deceased, who was the wife of J. L. Crawford, ami thev had a danL;hter,
jNIaude ; Olethia Hell li\-es in Indianapolis, Indiana: Charles S., a furniture
dealer at Bedford: John A., a farmer in Shawswick townshii), Lawrence
count}': James H. li\-ed and died in Reno countw Kansas, where he was a
well known and popular educator: ( icori^c B. : Thomas E., a salesman, lives
at Memphis, Tennessee; William R., a machinist, died at the age of forty-two
}'ears ; Annie is the wife of Lee }\lurra)-, of Bedford, Lidiana ; kdora is the
wife of Wallace Owen, of Bedford, Indiana: Lizzie (iertrude died voung'.
George B. Jackson was reared under the parental roof, securing his
elementary education in the district schools of his home neighlxirhood and
subsecjuently attending a normal scliool f(ir three years. He was then with
W. R. and W. A. Holland in business at Lees\i!le, Indiana, al:)out six vears
and later was with W. A. Holland's sons, T. A and F. \\'., under the firm
name of Jackson &- Holland, Leesville, for about three years. Selling out
his interest there in 1899, 'Sir. Jackson has since confined his attention to his
home farm, in wdiich he has met with abundant success, the conduct of his
business being characterized by good judgment and hard work. He owns
two hundred and three acres of \-aluable land at Leesville. and in addition
to the raising of general crops he also gives a good deal of attention to the
breeding and raising of live stock, which he has found to be a valuable ad-
junct to agriculture.
Politically, Mr. Jackson has always gi\en his ardent support to the
Democratic party and was elected trustee of his townshii). giving a satisfac-
tory administration of the duties of that office. He is a member of the
Masonic order, belonging to Lodge Xo. iOt. and is also a member of the
Knights of Pvthias and the Bene\olent and Protective Order of Elks at
Bedford.
On May 2/. 1886, Mr. Jackson married Addie AL Dodds. of Lawrence
county, the daughter of Samuel and Sophia (Kindred) Dodds. both also
natives of Lawrence county, where the father followed farming during the
active portion of his life. l)ut is now deceased, being sur\i\-ed by his widow.
To Mr. and ]\Ls. Jackson has been born a son. (ie(jrge Herbert, born De-
cember 10, 1900. Mr. Jackson is a man of wide and accurate information on
the current questions of the dav. being a close reader and a keen observer
of men and events, and during all the years of his residence here he has con-
sistently enjoyed the friendship and esteem of all who know him. Though
successful in his private affairs he is also interestetl in the u el fare of the
community and gives his unreserved support to e\er\' enterprise looking to
the advancement of the welfare of his fellows.
704 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
W. A. FULWIDER.
The respect which should always be accorded the brave sons of the North
who left their homes and the peaceful pursuits of civil life to give their
services, and their lives if need be, to preserve the integrity of the American
Union, is certainly due W. A. Fulwider. a well-known citizen of Bloomington.
He proved his love and loyalty to the government on the long and tiresome
marches, on the lonely picket line, on the tented field, and amid the flame and
smoke of battle, and then, returning to ci\-il life, manfully took up the struggle
of industrial and commercial life, in which he was rewarded with a degree of
success commensurate with his efforts. The great secret of his success has
been devotion to duty, whether that duty ])ertain to his own private affairs or
matters afTecting the public welfare; in war and in peace his record has been
signalized by honesty of pur])ose and integrity of thought and action, so that
he has fully deserved the exalted position which has been granted him by the
people with whom he has mingled.
W. A. Fulwider. successful lumber man and the president of the Monroe
County State Bank, at Bloomington. was born at Stanton. Augusta county,
Virginia, on the 7th of April. 1844. He is the son of John and Lucinda
(Craig) Fulwider. both of whom were natives of the Old Dominion state,"
the father born in 18 19 and the mother in 1821. John Fulwider, who was a
wagon-maker in his nati\-e state, remo\-ed with his family to Indiana in 1858,
locating in Parke county, where he engaged in the saw-milling business and
carpentering. Subsequently he went to Xeliraska, where he engaged in farm-
ing, and his death occurred at Bennett, near Lincoln, that state. His wife
had died in Virginia when her son, the subject of this sketch, was verv young.
\\\ A. Fulwider received but a limited education, his facilities being con-
fined to the common schools, and as soon as old enough he assisted his father
in the saw-mill work. His labors were interrupted by the outbreak of the
war of the Rebellion, aud in 1861 he enlisted as a private in Company K,
Forty-third Regiment Indiana \^')lunteer Tnfantrv. under Captain Colander,
and he ser\ed with this command until June. 1863. when he received an honor-
able discharge. Flis command was assigned to the Armv of the South and
he took i)art in all the battles, skirmishes and marches in which that army
engaged, including the siege of Island No. Ten, New Madrid, Fort Pillow,
Memphis and Helena, Arkansas. At Helena, the Union forces, comprising
three thousand five hundred men. fought fifteen thousand Confederates, who
were thoroughly intrenched, and completely routed the enemy, who retreated
// ^ <)^-i/iZ^iyi^ou^i^
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, IXDIANA. 705
SO precipitately they did not even take time to Iniry their dead. In this
engagement the Forty-third captured more prisoners than there were men in
the regiment, and held them until they were exchanged.
After the war Air. Fulwider again identified himself with the saw-milling
business, with which he has been continuously identified ever since with the
exception of about five years which he spent on a farm in Missouri. In 1891
Mr. Fulwider came to Bloomington and established his present business, com-
prising a saw and planing-mill and lumber yard, in the operation of which
he was very successful. His business dealings were always characterized by
a strict regard for the ethics (jf commercial life, so that at all times he com-
manded the absolute confidence and esteem of all who had dealings with him.
About twenty men are employed in the mill and a large and complete line of
all kinds of lumber is carried. ]Mr. Fulwider does not now give his personal
attention to the operation of this business, having turned the responsibilities
of this line over to his son and daughter, who each own a one-third interest
in the business. Air. Fulwider is president of the [Monroe County State
Bank, of Bloomington. of which he was one of the organizers. This is one of
the strong banks of Alonroe county and is ofticered by a set of live, enterpris-
ing and progressive business men. who have been potent factors in the growth
of Bloomington, namely : President, W. A. Fulwider ; vice-president. Edwin
Corr ; cashier, C. L. Rawles ; assistant cashier. S. E. Alexander ; directors, W.
A. Fulwider, S. W. Collins, Edwin Corr, F. R. \\'ocyltey and John ^^^ Cravens.
The last financial statement by the Monroe County State Bank was as follows :
Loans and discounts, .$243,209.83: overdrafts, $290.94; U. S. bonds, S5 15.00::
other bonds and securities, $55,887.80; furniture and fixtures, $2,119.23; due
from banks and trust companies, $93,883.36: cash on hand, $26,914.84; cash
items, $2,760.55; current expenses, $3,247.97; taxes paid, $1,254.13; total,
$380,083.65. Liabilities — Capital stock, $25,000.00: surplus, $9,271.95;
undivided profits, $48,039.01: exchange, discounts, etc., $5,961.44; demand
deposits, $283,156.20: demand certificates, $8,665.05; total, $380,083.65.
Politically, Air. Fulwider has been a life-long Republican, while, reli-
giously, he is a member of the Alethodist Episcopal church, to the support of
which he contributes liberally. His old army associations are kept alive
through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, with which he
has affiliated for many years.
In 1866 Mr. Fulwider was united in marriage with Sarah Alvis. the
daughter of John and Lavina Alvis, to which union have been born three chil-
(4.S)
706 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
dren, namely : Oscar M., who lives at home, is the owner of a fine fruit farm,
and is also a salesman for a lumher firm ; Ida M. is the wife of W. E. Huttell,
an attorney of Bloomington ; she is a graduate of the State University and is
bookkeeper and stenographer in the lumber office of which she is a one-third
owner: Jesse H.. who also has a third interest in the lumber business, has
active charge of the plant. i\Ir. Fulwider owns a splendid and commodious
stone cottage at the corner of Third and Madison streets, the architectural
features of which embody the latest ideas, while on the interior the finishing
and furnishing of the home is all that could be desired.
Personally, INIr. Fulwider is a man of fine attainments and in the broadest
sense of the term is a self-made man, having attained success solely through
his own efforts. His life and character forcibly illustrate what a man of
energ}' can accomplish when plans are wisely laid and actions are governed by
right principles and high ideals. His actions have always been the result of
careful and conscientious thought, and in all the relations of life he has done
his full duty. Successful in business, respected in social life and as a citizen
and neighbor discharging his duties in a manner becoming an intelligent,
liberal-minded citizen of the community, he has earned and retains the good
will and regard of all who know him.
DRS. R. C. AND O. F. ROGERS.
The world has little use for the misanthrope. The uni\-ersal brother-
hood is widely recognized, as is also the truth tl:at he serves God best who
serves his fellow men. There is no profession or line of business which
calls for greater sacrifice c.r more devoted attention than the medical pro-
fession and the most successful physician is he \vhi_> through love of his
fellow men gi\es his time and earnest attention to the relief of human suf-
fering. The succes>tul plnsician is lionnd to make friends wherever he is
known and w ill retain the resjject and esteem of all classes oi people.
Among the successful, er:teri)rising and popular physicians of INIonroe
count}-, Indiana, none hold higher rank than the gentlemen whose names
head this sketch, Drs. R. C and O. V. Rogers, of Bloomington. They are
the sons of Isaac M. and Emily ( Smith ) Rogers, of whom the father is a
native of Monroe county, l)orn in 1830. He followed mercantile pursuits
(luring his acti\"e life, in which he met with a fair degree of success, so that
in his later vears he was enabled to retire from active life, and his death
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 707
occurred in Bloomington in May, 1898, his wife liavinj;- died the year pre-
vious. He was a RepubHcan, taking an acti\e part in pohtical affairs, and
served as county treasurer for a numlier of terms. O. 1*". Rogers was born
in Bloomington on May 7. 1873, and recei\ed his elementary education in
the public schools, being a graduate of the high school and then became a
student in the State University. Having determined to take up the practice
of medicine, he matriculated in the medical department of the University of
Louisville, where he was graduated in 1900 with the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. He returned to Bloomington and at once entered upon the active
practice of his profession, in which he has met with s])len(li(l success. Keenly
alive to the responsibilities incumbent upon one in his position, he keeps
closelv in touch with the latest aihances in the science of medicine and is a
close reader of professional literature, so that iie is well (jualified for the
practice of the healing art. He has lieen very successful and because of his
professional ability and his high personal character he enjoys a high degree
of popularity in the community where he is established.
In 1905 Dr. O. F. Rogers married Vesta Trii)lett, a native of Evans-
ville, whose father was a man of intellectual attainments and prominent in
the communitv, ha\-ing served efficiently as county superintendent of schools
and later as steward of the Vanderburgh county hospital. To Doctor and
^Irs. Rogers have been born two children. Otto Moyd and Florence E. Fra-
ternallv, the Doctor is a memlier of the Free and Accepted ]\Iasons and the
Improved Order of Red Men. He is a member of the Monroe County ^Medical
Society and the State Medical Society, and has served as county health of-
ficer and county coroner.
R. C. Rogers, who was born at Bloomington on March 6, 1870, after
completing his common school course became a student in Indiana State
Universitv, where he graduated in i8(jr, and he also studied medicine in the
medical department of Louis\-ille Unixersity, where he received his degree
in 1893. Immediately afterward he entered upon the active jjractice at Pratt,
Kansas, but a >ear later returned to Bloomington. where he entered ])ractice
with his brother. Joseph ]M,. for about four years. Joseph 'M. died in 1898
and then, in 1900, he entered into a professional ijartnership with his l:)rother,
O. F., which relation has since 1)een c(.)ntinued. During the period of 1901-03
he was in the service in the rhilipi)ine islands as army surgeon. Of studious
habits and devoted to his jirofession. Dr. R. C. Rogers has impressed his
personality on the community and the success to which he has attained is
but the just reward of merit. He, too. is a member of the county and state
medical societies, in the meetings of which he takes a live interest, and is a
708 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
member of the Free and Accepted Masons and Improved Order of Red Men.
He takes an intelligent interest in local and count\ affairs, giving his snpport
to all movements for the advancement of the general welfare. Dr. R. C.
Rogers was married on .September 8. i(;05. to Lena T. Triplett.
The Doctors Rogers, whose li\es Iia\ e been ])riefly portrayed, have as-
snmed their proper places in the front ranks of their profession, a position
attained throngh means of their natixe ability, tb.eir indefatigable eft'orts in
the practice of their profession and the uniform success which has attended
their labors, (ienial and a])])roachal)le in manner, they make friends wher-
ever thev go, and in the comnuniitv where their lives have been spent they
are deservedly popular and are clearly entitlecl to representation in a work
of this character.
MORTIMORE CRABB.
There is no calling, however humble, in winch enteri)rise and industry,
coupled with a well directed purpose, will not be productive of some measure
of success, and in the jnu'suit of agriculture the (|ualities mentioned are quite
essential. Among the well known and highly respected farmers of Lawrence
county who have attained to a debnite degree of success in their line and
who at the same time liave greatl\- lienefited the community in which they
live, is the gentleman to a rexiew of whose career we now direct the reader's
attention.
Mortimore Crabb, who is numliered among the enterprising farmers of
Shawswick township, was born in Jackson county, Indiana, on November 2,
1845, and is the son of Ste\en S. and Julia A. (Miller) Crabb, both of whom
were natives of Kentucky. Steven S. Crabb came to Indiana in young man-
hood, locating in Jackson county, where he cleared and developed a splendid
farm, being numl)ered among the leading citizens and successful agricultur-
ists of his locality. He took a wide interest in the advancement of his com-
munity, and was numliered among the progressive and enterprising men of
the county. To him and his wife were born the following children: Smith C,
deceased; Charles, deceased; Thornton P., who is engaged in the hotel busi-
ness in Oklahoma; Adam, deceased; Mortimore; Edward, deceased, and
John, also deceased.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools at
Brownstown, Indiana, and about the time he attained his majority he located
on his present farm in Shawswick township, Lawrence county, Indiana, the
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIAN \. 709
tract comprising two hiiiKlred and thirty-three acres of land where he now
hves and where he has conducted his agricultural ()i)erations with ahundant
success. His commodious and attractive resider.ce, his substantial and well
arranged barns and other outbuildings all attest to the good judgment and
splendid discrimination of the owner and in the matter of rotation of crops
and other incidental features of successful agriculture he shows unusual
aptitude and has been successful in all lines of this endeavor. In his home
life Mr. Cralib is well situated. P>eing a lover of good books and a wide
reader, he has a splendid and well selected librarv in which he finds great
pleasure. Socially, he is well liked Iw all who kn(^w him, for he possesses
those commendable qualities which commend him t.) -the favorable notice
of others.
On Ma_\ 27. iS(>7, when about twenty-one }-ears old, Mr. Crabl) was
united in marriage to Caroline Williams, who was born on December 28,
[845. the daughter of John and Ruth ( I'leasant ) Williams.
Politicall}-, the subject of this sketch is an earnest sup|)orter of the
Democratic party, though he is not \erv acti\e hi pul)lic affairs nor an aspi-
rant for public office. Fraternally, he is a member of Lodge Xo. 434, Knights
of Pythias, at Leetsville, Indiana. lie is a man among men in all he does
and exerts a potential infiuence in the affairs of the localit_\- in which he lives.
EDGAR R. ML^RPHY.
The best history of a community or state is the one that deals most with
the lives and activities of its people, especially of those who, by their own
endeavors and indomitable energy, ha\'e forged to the front and placed them-
seh'es where the\- deserx'e the title of progressi\'e men. In this brief review
will be found the record of one who has outstripped the less active plodders
on the highwav of life and among his contempijraries has achieved marked
success in the ])usiness world, the name of Edgar W. Murphy being honored
by all owing to his upright life and habits of thrift and industry.
Edgar R. Murphy, who after a long and honorable career as a sucessful
l)usiness man in Bedford, Indiana, is now living in honorable retirement, was
born on April 29, 1838, in New Albany, Indiana, and is the son of Richard
(t. and Elizabeth ( Hedden ) ]\lurphy. The fat'-ier was born near Harper's
Ferry, \'irginia, and the mother at Xewark. New Jersey. In young man-
hood Richard (i. Murph\- went to Cincinnati. Ohio, with his parents and
was reared there. He recei\ed onlv a common -.chiiol education and as soon
JIO LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
as old enougli was apprenticed and served seven years at blacksmithing-.
Eventuallv he moved to New .\ll)any, Indiana, where he started the manu-
facture of brick, su1)se(piently liecoming superintendent for McDonald &
Rollins, pork packers in that city, with whom he remained from 1857 to i860.
He then liecame su])erintendent for John Cromie, an ice manufacturer at
Xew All3an\-, with whom he remained until his sudden death, having been
killed on a railroad in 1871. His wife died at P(jlan, Georgia. They were
Baptists in their religi(.)us belief, and in politics, Mr. Murphy was first a
Whig and later a Republican. They were the parents of five children, namely:
Augustus W., who is bookkeeper and auditor for the Xorth American Tele-
graph C(jmpanv at Miuneaiiolis, ^Minnesota: Edgar R., the immediate sub-
ject of this review: Mary \., the wife of E. E. Girdner, of Polan. Georgia;
Eizzie, who never married, died in Xew Alliau} , Indiana: Richard D.. who
was for twentv-five vears an engineer on the [Nlonon railroad, is now a farmer
at Cash, South Dakota.
The subject of this sketch recei\-ed the advantages of a common school
education at Xew All)an_\- and in young manhood he learned the stone carver's
trade, at which he ser\ed :in apprenticeship and worked until 1868, in which
year he came to Bedford, Indiana, and here engaged in the manufacture of
monuments, his plants being locatetl on the east side of the puljlic s(piare. He
wa-^ verv successful in this enterprise and cond.ucted it continucjusly until
it^ii. when, because of the failing of his health, he retired from active busi-
ness and has since been lixing (|uietly in his comfortaljle and attractive home
at Xo. I2C4 Sixteenth street, liedford, which he erected in 1882 and remod-
eled in 191 3- Thorougbl}- understanding e\ery detail of his business and
always evincing a desire to please his patrons, he long commanded the major
part of the patronage in his line in this communitv and always earned the
commendation of all with whom he had l)usiness dealings.
Reverting to a pre\ious period in Mr. Murphy's life, it should be stated
that on (Jctolier 29, i8()i, because of the attempts of the South to disrupt
tile national union, Mr. Murphv enlistetl in the Seventh Indiana Battery, be-
ing mustered in from \\'a>hington county, Indiana. Erom there the command
was sent to Indianapolis and thence on to Louisville, Kentucky, and from
there to the front, where the batter\- took part in all the engagements which
characterized the war in that section. Thev took part successively in the
battles of (ireen ki\er, Xash\ ille, I'ittsliurg Landing, luka, Corinth, Hunt-
ers\ille. Alal)ama, Decker's Station, Tennessee, from whence they went north
t(» Xashville, (iallatin, hTanklin, Bowling (jreen. Cave City, Alurfordsville,
Elizabethtown and then back to Louisville. On September 2^, 1862, they
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 7II
started on the celebrated Bragg's raid, going back to Shelliyville and Har-
rodsburg, Danville, Stanford, Crabb Orchard, Mt. \"ernon, London, Somer-
set, Columbia. Glasgow (October, 1S62, to .\')veml)cr 4, 1862) and then
back to Gallatin and then to Naslnille, Alurfrce-^lioro, Manchester, McMinn-
ville, Sparta, Pikersville, Dunlap, Shellwood, Ringold, Dalton, Resaca, Ad-
amsville, Kingston, Carlinsville, Marietta, Peach Tree Creek, and on to the
siege of Atlanta, after which the}- went to Riverton and Jonesboro and then,
the war being closed, the command was sent to Indianapolis where, on De-
cember 5, 1864, the snl)ject was mustered (.)ut of the ser\-ice. lie was taken
sick at Green River and. with eight others, sent home l))' order of General
Nelson, where they remained about live months. He was promoted to the
rank of sergeant and during his armv experience he had man\' close calls
from injury and death. Me is now a meml)er of Post No. 247, firand .\rmy
of the Ivepublic, at i'.edford, Indiana.
In April, 1873, Mr. Mur])hy married Mar\- K. P.utler, (^f Bedford. In-
diana, the tlaughter of .\lex M. liutk-r and hdizabeth 1). (Guthrie) Butler,
the father born in X'irginia in 1705 and the mother a nati\'e of Kentucky.
.\lex M. Butler came to Lawrence county in 181 3, settling three miles south-
east of Bedford, where he had obtained a tract of government land. He
was a millwriglit ])\ trade and an enterprising au'l public spirited citizen. He
first married Mary Barnhill, a nati\e of Kentucky. I-'rom 1847 ^" i'^.^4 li^
served as associate judge of his C(.)unty. He was a Whig in politics and he
and his wife were members !)f the ^^lethodist l4)iscoi)al church. He died
in 18O4. His hrst wife died in 1838, after whih lie married Elizalieth D.
Guthrie, whose death occurred in 1881. To the hrst union were l)orn three
children: Thomas ].. who went to California in 184Q and died there in igo2:
John li\'es in San JM-ancisco. California; the other child died in infancy. To
the second union were born four children: William 11., who tlied in 1887,
was a carpenter at IVdford, lndi:ma ; be married Mary K. .Viken: .Mexander
M.. who died in 1887, was a clerk and married Lottie Peardon. He was a
veteran of the Civil war, ha\ing Iieen a member of Com])any L, One Hun-
dred Tliirt_\-sixth Regiment Indiana X'olunteer Infantry, with which he"
ser\ed four months; Mrs. ]\lur])hv was the third in order of birth; Elizabeth
died in childhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Murphy b;'\e l)een born two children:
l{dith M., who is at home with her parents, and JM-ank, who is a clerk at
Bedford. Mr. Murphy has been a resident (jf liedfortl continuously since
1868, and during this time his life has been as an open bo(/k to be read by
all who knew him, and that his life has !)een one of uprightness an(i rectitude
is evinced bv the high position wliich he holds in the esteem i>\ all who know
712 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
him. Fraternally, he is an appreciatiw member of the Independent Order
n{ Odd l'"ell(.\vs at Bedford, and he and his wife helono" to the Methodist
Episcopal chnrch in that city, of which they are attendants and in the various
activities of which they are deeply interested.
OSCAR H. CRAVENS.
Oscar H. Cravens was born in Centre Valley, Hendricks county, Indiana,
December i, iSfxj. He is the son of William R. and Sarah Cravens. His
father, now retired and living at Clayton, Indiana, was for forty years the
leading merchant and farmer of southern Hendricks county. There were
seven children, namely: E\'a is the wife of State Prosecutor John H. Under-
wood, of Bedford, Indiana; Jennie is the wife of Samuel M. Ralston,
Governor of Indiana: Theodore is a retired business man of Indianapolis;
John \\'. is registrar of the Indiana State Uni\ersity ; Etta is the wife of Julian
D. Hogate, editor of the llciidrlcks CoiiJifv RcpuJ)lica)i : Arthur, the youngest
son, is state bank examiner of Indiana.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools
of Hendricks county and at the Central Normal College of Danville and the
State l'ni\ersit\- at ISloomington. He taught school for three years, and in
1891 mo\e<l to Bloomington to establish the Daily World, wdiich for over
twenty years has been one of the leading Democratic newsjiapers of the sec-
ond congressional district. The i)aper recently- mo\ed into its own new-
home wdiere twenty people are employed in the publishing and job printing
departments. 'Sir. Cra\'ens is noted for his ])rogressi\'eness in business. He
brought the hrst power press to Bloomington, the first linotype and the first
monoty])e typesetting machines.
Mr. Cravens was married December 7, 1898, to A'liss Bertha M. Miers,
daughter of Congres,sman and Mrs. Roliert W. Miers. They are both mem-
bers of the First Presbyterian church. He is a member of the INIasons, Odd
Fellows, ]<:iks. Court of Honor. Knights of Pythias, and Phi Gamma Delta,
and ])resident of the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association.
.\fter the election of President Wilson, the business men of Bloomington
almost unanimously recommended Air. Cravens for postmaster. He was
appointed hy the President, June 7. 1913, and entered upon his duties im-
mediatel\- in the handsome new federal building where lie devotes his entire
OSCAR H. CRAVENS
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 7I3
time to the duties of his office and is giving entire satisfaction as postmaster.
Mr. Cravens has a genial disposition and a kindly way that wins and
retains friends. He is noted for his unselfish charity, and has helped many
deserving young people to obtain a start in life. In the mind of the writer
the ideals of Mr. Cravens are embodied in the following poem :
WHAT I LIVE FOR.
I live for those who love me.
For those I know are true.
For the heaven that smiles above me
And awaits my spirit, too;
For the human tfes that bind me.
For the task b.v God assigned me.
For the bright hopes left behind me.
And the good that I can do.
I live to learn their story
Who have suffered for m.\' sake.
To emulate their glory.
And follow in their wake —
Bards, martyrs, patriots, sages.
The people of all ages.
Whose deeds crown history's pages
And time's great volume make.
I live to hail the season
By gifted minds foretold.
When man shall rule by reason.
And not alone by gold;
When man to man united.
And every wrong thing righted.
The whole world shall be lighted
.As Eden was of old.
I live to hold communion
With all that is divine.
To feel there is a union
Twi.xt nature's heart and mine.
To profit by affliction.
Reap truth from fields of fiction.
Grow wiser from convict'on.
And fulfill each grand design.
I live for those who love me.
For those who know me true.
For the heaven that smiles above me
And awaits my spirit, too;
For the wrongs that need resistance.
For the cause that lacks assistance.
For the future in the distance,
.\nd the good that I can do.
— G. Linnaeus Banks.
714 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
RICHARD E. PLUMMER.
Among those persons who ha\e hy virtue of their strong individual
quaHties earned their way to a high stan(hng in. the estimation of their fel-
low citizens, having h\- sheer force of character and persistency won their
wav from an huml)le Iieginning to a i)hice of intKience and prominence in the
community where they li\e. the suljject <jf tliis sketch is entitled to special
mention in a xolume of this cliaracter.
Richard E. I'lummer was l)orn on Octol)er 2. 1837, in Elintown, Law-
rence countv. In(Hana, and is a son of John A. anfl Sarah ( Abhott ) Plummer,
the father a nati\e of BaUimore, Maryland, anil the mother of Xorth Caro-
lina, "fhev were the parents of the following chiklren : James A., John A..
William T., David M., Margaret P. ( .Mr>. .Mien), Elizalx^th E. ( ^Irs. Craw-
ford), .\;inc\- E. (Mrs. Matthews). Sarali .\. ( }\[rs. .Mien), all of whom are
deceased; Richard E., the immediate suloject of this sketch, and Martha L.,
Jeremiah, and Rehecca. who are also deceased.
The suljject of this sketch recei\ed his early education in the common
scho(.)]s of Mint township, and at the age of eighteen }-ears he was married to
Drusilla Kmdred. a daughter of William D. anfl Rachel (Wood), both of
whom were nati\-es of Connors\ ille, l\ayette county, Intliana. To this union
were liorn eight children, namely: ^Irs. Sarah E. Williams, of Bedford;
William .\., of P.edford; Charles .\., deceased; Richard E., of Elwood, In-
diana; Paac M., of I^lwood; .Matthew .\.. deceased ;()scar D., deceased, and
Weseley I'... of Indianapolis, .\fter the death of his first wife Mr. Plummer
was married ou .\|iril jj, iSo-', to Laura Ann Dalton, the daughter of George
antl .\anc\- J. (Matlock) l):ilton, tlic former a nati\'e of Kentucky antl the
latter of l"ennes^ee. Mr. I'lummer owns and resides in a pleasant and at-
tractive residence, around which lie tliree acres of well culti\'ated and artis-
ticall}- arranged grounds and he has all the conveniences necessary to make
life an attraction. In the public life of the community Mr. Plummer has
leen prominent for man\' _\ears, haxing been elected in 1893 to the position
r<f coroner of Lawrence count\- and was re-elected to succeed himself In' the
largest majority e\er gi\cn a candidate on the Re])ul)lican ticket in this
count}-, the pluralitv ha\ ing been two thousand six hundred. He served
efficiently as deput\ ])rosecuting attorne}- for ten years and for about four-
teen years had the office of road >ui)er\isor of his township.
During the war of th.e Rebellion .Mr. Plummer eidisted as a pri\'ate in
the l''i.<^ht\-secoud Regiment Inihana X'olunteei- lnfantr\- and rendered var-
iant ser\ic(' to his countr\- oxer three \-ears, ]us reeimenl beint"' assi^'ued to
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 715
the army under General Sherman. He took part in many of the mo.-^t hotly
contested battles of that great struggle and with General Sherman was
among the famous number who made the memorable march to the sea. He
was elected second lieutenant, but on account of trouble with his colonel he
did not accept the commission. He was later .-'ssigned to the commissary
department, with the rank of commissary sergeant. He was mustered out
June 9, 1865, at Washington, D. C. By a life of earnest and conscientious
endeavor Mr. Plummer has won for himself the sincere respect of all who
have come into contact with him. l~or many years he has l)een a potent
factor in the civic life of his community and no man stands higher in the
estimation of the people than he.
HEXRY P. PEARSOX.
Recognized as a leading professional man and puljlic-spirited citizen,
Henrv P. Pearson, of the law lirm of ]\Iartin, Pearson iS: Martin, is deser\-ing
of notable recognition in the liislory of Lawrence count}-. He has won for
himself a distinct place in the legal forum and ser\-e(l with distinction in the
legislati\-e halls of the state, and nia_\' well claim for himself the respect and
well-wishes of his friends and constituents.
Henrv P. Pearson was l)()rn Octoljer 18, 1870, the son of Judge E. D.
and Caroline T. (Parker) Pearson, the former a native of Sjiringville, Law-
rence county, Indiana, and the latter Ijorn at Salem, Indiana.
Judge Pearson, for a period of ten or twelve )-ears, was judge of the
tenth judicial circuit court, holding the position of an honored attorney and
loval citizen. Lie died Jul}- 3, i8()0, and the mother died on March 12, 1882.
Eleven children were born of this union, of whom six are li\-ing.
Henrv P. Pearson receixed his early education in the piililic schools of
Bedford, later attending the Indiana L'ni\-ersity at Bloominglon. from which
institution he graduated with the class of 1891 with tlie degree of Bachelor
of Arts. About 1893 ^^^' began the study of law. In 1804 he was elected
by the people of Bedford as mayor, and served faithfull\- and satisfactorilv
as chief magistrate of the city until 1898. At the end of his mayoralty term,
lie began active practice in hi.> chosen jjrofession. Until 1906 he was in part-
nership with Hon. Moses V. nunn and the firm was known as Dunn cK: Pear-
son. In Xovember of the abo\e mentioned year he was elected as a state
senator from Lawrence. Martin and Orange counties, on the Republican
yi6 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ticket. In this di^Ljiiifiecl ca])acit}- he served in the sixty-sixth and sixty-
seventh sessions of kjgj, njO''^ and 1909. In 1909 Air. Pearson formed a
partnership in law with judt^e William H. Martin, which continued until
January- 1, luLv when the present firm of ]\Iartin, Pearson & Martin was
organized, which is admittedly one of the strongest firms at the legal bar of
the county.
]Mr. Pearson was married on April 24, 181)5, to Ella D. Stephens, of
Evans\ille, Indiana. To tliem ha\e been horn, two sons, Henry and John.
Fraternall}-, .Mr. Pearson is a chapter Mason a member of the Modern
\'\^oodmen of .\nierica and the supreme Tribe of Ben-Hur.
TOHX P. FOWLER.
To write ihe ])eisonal record of men who lia\e raised tliemsebes from
hum] lie circumstances to a position of responsil)ilit\- and trust in a community
i.s no oi-dinar\- pleasure. Self-made men, men who ha\'e achieved success by
reason of tlieir jiersonal (pialitics and left the impress of their indi\'iduality
ui)on the business and growth of their ])lace of '"esidence and affect for good
such institutions a.- are emliraced within their sphere o\ usefulness, unwit-
tingl}-, perhaps, built monuments more enduring than marlile olielisk or gran-
ite shaft. ()f such we ha\e the uni|uestioued '"Ight ti.i saN- belongs the gen-
tleman whose name appears above.
J. P. I'owler, the present eflicient and popular clerk of Monroe county,
was born in Owen count)', this state, on the _'d day of November, 1866. He
is the son of Joshua and Paulina ( Rider) b'owler. both natives of Washing-
ton count}, Indiana, and higliK' resjiecteil peo])le in their community. The
father was a l)lacksmitli early in life, but e\entuall\- followetl agricultural
pursuits, in which he was fairl_\- successful, lie died in 1890 arid was sur-
\i\etl a uuiulier of years b\- his w i<low , whose death occurred in 1908. They
were the parents of eight children, Charles, Ella, Frank. John, Minnie, Cora,
Myrtle and Lennie. The father of these children was a Rei)ublican in his
political views, Init did not take an active part in public affairs.
John P. b'owler received his education in the comiuon schools of his
nati\e countw antl was reared to the vocation of farming, which pursuit he
followed until twenty-three years of age. He then engaged in merchandising
at Smithville, Indiana, where for f(.)ur years he met with fair success, but
alterwards be disposed of this business and engaged in milling, which he
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. ']\~
followed for ten years, operating first a mill at Ketchani, Indiana, and later
one at Harrodsburg. He then, in igio. was elected clerk uf Alom-ue county
and is the present incumbent of this position. He is exercising here the same
careful attention to details and the same sound l)usiness methods which char-
acterized him in his private affairs and he has gained the commendation of
all who are familiar with his labors as clerk.
In 1895 Mr. Fowler was united in marriage with Iva Johnson, the
daughter of RoI)ert W. and Amanda (Bullock) Johnson, the father ha\ing
been a merchant at Smithxille, this county, for a number of years, but is
now retired from actix'e pursuits and resides in Bloomington. To the sub-
ject and his wife have lieen l)orn seven children, Hazel. Glenn. Lyle. Cecil.
Eva. Carl and Robert.
In political affairs the subject of this sketch has been a life-long Repub-
lican and has taken an active interest in the success of his party, especially
in local elections. Fraternally, the Masonic order and the Modern Wood-
men of America claim his membership, while, religiously, he is affiliated with
the Christian church, to which he gives a liberal support and of which he is
a regular attendant. In th.e widest and best sense of the term, his life has
been a success, for lie has always measured up to the high standard of citizen-
ship recjuired by men of his stamp, serving well and faithfully his day and
generation. Though always a l)usy man. ]\Ir. I'owler has not been unmindful
of his dufies as a citizen, lieing a careful obser\-er of the trend of events and
an active participant in those aff'au's that relate to his own community. Per-
sonally, he is po|)ular throughout the community, possessing the amiable
qualities that attract friends and he is rightfully numbered among the leading
and enterprising citizens of Bloomington.
J, F. REGFSTER.
In no profession is there a career more open to talent than is that of the
law, and in no field of endea\or is there demanded a more careful prepara-
tion, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life or of the
underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights and privileges.
Unflagging application and intuitive wisdom and determination fully to
utilize the means at hand, are the concomitants which insure personal success
and prestige in this great profession, which stands as the stern conservator
of justice, and it is one into which none should enter wdthout a recognition
of the obstacles to be encountered and overcome and the battles to be won.
7l8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
for success tloes not percli on tlic banner of vxery person who enters the
competitive fray, l)ut comes onl\' as the legitimate result of capability. Pos-
sessing all the re(|uisite qualities of the able lawyer, j. V. Regester stands
today among the eminent practitioners (_)f Monroe county.
j. V. Regester is a nati\e of the old Hoosier state, having been born in
Jay count}- on .Vugust 8, 1870. He is the son of Robert and Sarah C. (Gray)
Regester, both nati\'es of Ohio, the f(»rmer born in Columbiana countv, and
the latter in Monroe count}-. Tliev came to Indiana about 1848, and here
the father took up the \-ocati<in n\ agriculture, wliich he followed for a while,
later operating a hotel at I'enn\ille, Jay county. He died in 1880. and was
sur\-i\-ed a num])er of }-ears b}- his widow, who died in December, 1911.
Their onl}- child was the subject of this sketch. The latter received a good,
comuKju school education and after taking up the active duties of life on his
own account he was engaged in farming for about hve years. In i8g6 he
came to llloomington and engaged in the restaiu'ant business. In the mean-
time he had taken u\) the study of law at the State University, carrying on
the restaurant business as a n-ieans of sup])ort, and in i(}05 he was admitted
to the ])ar, since which time he has been engaged in the practice w-ith the
e.xception of two }'ears from 1908 to igio when he served as county treas-
urer, discharging his official duties to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
Though Mr. Regester's experience at the bar has not been extensive in point
of }-ears he has already secured a good standing among able lawyers and is
in command of his full share of legal business. He is a clear and forcible
speaker, carefully prepares his cases before going into court and has been
uniformly successful in all business entrusted to his care. Mr. Regester has
rendered efficient service as deputy county prosecuting attorney for two years
and in e\-ery phase of life's acti\-ities in which he has engaged he has per-
formed his part to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens.
In September, 1891, Mr. Regester married Alice S. Farr, the daughter
of James 11. and Elizaljeth ^l. ( Burton) Farr, and to them have been born
six children, namely: Iithel .\., deceased; Edith F. : Flvin A.; John F., de-
ceased : James R. and Francis H , who are at home and students in school.
P'olitically, the subject of this sketch is an ardent supporter of the Dem-
ocratic party and stands high in the councils of that organization. Frater-
nally, he is a member of the Knights of r}'thias and the Modern Woodmen
of .\merica. Mr. Regester has so ordered his course at all times as to com-
mand the confidence and regard of the ])eople of the community in which he
lives, being a n-ian of honorable business methods and advocating whatever
tends to pron-iote the iniblic welfare in anv wav.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 719
EDWARD M. KEANE.
This representative and honored citizen of Lawrence county has l)een
distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, has been true and loyal in all
the relations of life and stands as a type of that sterling manhood which
ever commands respect and honor.
Edward M. Keane, the present efficient assistant cashier of the First
National Bank of Mitchell, and one of the most popular citizens of this
prosperous town, is a native of Lawrence county, Indiana, and was born on
October 23, 1874. His parents. AI. C. and Bridget (Gainey) Keane, were
both natives of Ireland, the father coming to this country in young manhood
and locating first in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he followed his trade, that of
shoemaker. Subsetjuently he came to Lawrence county and here spent the
remainder of his days. To him and his wife were horn eight children, of
whom six are living.
Edward M. Keane was reared under the parental roof and secured his
education in the common schools of this county, upon the completion of
which he entered the employ of the railroad in the capacitv of Ijill clerk,
being assigned to dut\' in Kentucky. In 1903 he returned to Lawrence
county and entered the First National Bank as assistant cashier; in which
position he has been retained to the present time, performing his duties in a
manner which has won the commendation of not onl}- his associates in the
bank, but also of the patrons of this well known institution. The First
National Bank, which was organized on January i, 1903, is one of the most
prosperous and iniluential financial institutions of Lawrence county, and has
done nnich to conser\-e the business interests and commercial growth ot
Mitchell. The bank's capital is twenty-five thousand dollars, with a surplus
of five thousand dollars, and the capital stock is all owned by local parties.
The present officials of this bank are as follows: W. H. Burton, president:
A. B. Hall, vice-president: Walter W. Burton, cashier: Edward M. Keane,
assistant cashier. Aside from liis immediate l)usiness connecti(jns, ]\Ir.
Keane maintains a commendaljle interest in pu1)lic aft'airs of the community
and everv movement having for its object the advancement of the people
along educational, social, moral or material lines receives his hearty support.
Mr. Keane married Mabel Peters nad the union has been blessed with
one child, Edward M. Politically, Mr. Keane is a staunch supporter of the
Democratic partv, in the success of which he has always been actively inter-
ested, and he is now treasurer of the city of Mitchell. Fraternally, he is a
720 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
member of the Kiiii^iits of (,'oluml)us, while lii> rclii;ious affiliation is with
the Catholic church. lie is a man who would win his wav in any locality
where fate might i)lace him. for he has sound judgment, coupled with great
energy and business tact, together with upright principles, all of which make
for success, whene\er they are rightfully and ])ersistentl\' applied. He is
fast winning a host of friends in .Mitchell and \icinitv bv reason of these
characteristics.
ROGERS A. LEE.
A man who has performed well his part as a factor in the body politic
of Monroe county is Rogers A. Lee, one of the well known and successful
attorneys of Bloomington, who. because of his sterling qualities of character
and the ability displayed in the practice of his profession, won and retains to
a marked degree the esteem and confidence of all who know him. Mr. Lee
was born at Bloomington, Indiana, on June 20, 1889, and is a son of Henry
A. and Minnie M. (Rogers) Lee. Henry Lee was born in Hamilton county,
Indiana, on November 19, 1854, the son of James and Lydia (Anderson)
Lee, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of New Jersey. Henry
Lee attended the common schools of Hamilton county, and then attended the
State L^niversity, where he graduated in 1878. Taking up the study of law.
in due time he was admitted to the bar of Hamilton, and for a time he prac-
ticed his profession there. In 1885 he went to Kansas and for seven years
actively practiced law, and during that time he served a term in the Kansas
Legislature. In 1892 he came to Bloomington, Indiana, where he has since
been numbered among the able and successful members of the bar. In 1885
he married Minnie M. Rogers, the daughter of Isaac M. and Emmeline
Rogers, and their only child is the subject of this sketch.
Rogers A. Lee secured his elementary education in the common schools,
graduating from the Bloomington high school, and then became a student in
the law department of the State University, where he received his degree in
1912. In 191 1, prior to his graduation, Mr. Lee had engaged in the practice
of law, having become a member of the firm of Lee & Lee, attorneys. From
the beginning of his professional career. Mr. Lee has commanded the atten-
tion of those who have knowledge of him and his work, for he early gave
evidence of more 'than ordinaiy ability as a lawyer, while among the mem-
bers of the local bar he is respected and esteemed because of his courtesv and
>
?•■ ■
^^H
Br-
^jP^^^^^^^^^H^Bj^^^H
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 721
fairness in the trial of cases. Personally, Mr. Lee possesses those elements
of character which draw others to him and he has a large circle of warm
friends in this community.
On November 22, 19 12, Mr. Lee was united in marriage with Maud
Agnes Hoadley, the daughter of Albert T. and Anna Hoadley, her birth hav-
ing occurred at Stinesville, on March 31, 1896. Albert T. Hoadley was born
at Mt. Tabor, Monroe county, Indiana, on July 12, i860, the son of John and
Mary E. (York) Hoadley, the father a native of England and the mother of
the state of Ohio. Albert T., after completing his common-school education,
engaged in the stone business, becoming a partner with his father and younger
brother. As a quarryman and monument manufacturer he was very success-
ful and enjoyed a high standing in the community up to the time of his death,
which occurred on July 27, 1912. He was twice married, first, in 1885, to
Myrtle Franklin, to which union was born one child, Mary E., who became
the wife of Guy West, of Stinesville. .\fter the death of his first wife, Mr.
Hoadley was married, on March 31, 1895. to Anna Ferris, the daughter of
Henry and Elizabeth (Austin) Ferris, and to this union was born one child,
Maud Agnes, the wife of Mr. Lee. Mr. and Mrs. Lee move in the Ijest social
circles of Bloomington and are popular among their acquaintances.
Politically, Mr. Lee is an earnest supporter of the Republican partv,
though he does not take a very active part in public affairs. His religious
membership is with the Christian church, while, socially, he is a member of
the Sigma Chi college fraternity, at the State l^niversity.
(;. ALBERT HAMER.
It was once remarked !)y a celelirated moralist and hiogra])her that "■there
has scarcely passed a life of which a judicinus and faithful narratix'e would
not have been useful." ljelie\'ing in the truth of tliis opinion, expressed by
one of the greatest and best of men, the writer of this review takes pleasure
in presenting a few facts in the career of a i;entlenian who, bv industrv,
perseverance, temperance an(' integrity, has worked himself from an huml>le
station to a successful place in life and won an lnnKiralMe ])osition among
the well known and highl\' esteemed men of the locality in which he resides.
G. .\lbert Hamer, who was liorn in Marion township, Lawrence county,
Indiana, near Mitchell, on .\])ril 2^,, 1870, is a descendant of one of the ster-
(46)
722 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ling old pioneers of Lawrence countx-. His paternal grandfather, Hugh
Hanier. was one of the early settlers here and a prominent man in the life
of the conmninitv in his dav. The old Hamer mill near Mitchell, which he
huilt in iSiS. is now one of the historical landmarks of Lawrence county
Hugh Idanier was a nati\e of Xew ^'ork state and married Elizabeth Fitz-
patrick in the state of old X'irginia, to which union were l)orn eight children.
The grandfather tlied in 1873 and his wife also is deceased. Hugh Hamer
was a noted man in local political circles in the early days of this community
and ser\ed two terms as representative to the lower house of the Legislature
for his district and two terms in the state Senate with honor and credit to his
l(.calit\-. He was also a meniher of the l)oard of county commissioners, and
in man\ other ways e\idenced a li\e interest in the jirogress and advance-
ment of his community. The ])arents of (]. Albert Hamer were George W.
and Priscilla (Leach) Hamer. ])oth of whom were nati\-es of Lawrence
county. The father was a farmer during all his active years and owned a
splendid old homestead in Clarion townshi]). where his widow now resides,
his death having occurred on October i, 1904. To George and Priscilla
Hamer were born six chiklren, three of whom are living, namely: Frank, of
Bedford; the subject of this sketch, and Ralph X., who resides on the old
home ])lace in .Marion township.
G. .\lbert Hamer was reared on the home farm in Marion township,
receiving his elementary education in the i)ul)lic schools of the community
and completing his studies in the Southern Indiana Xormal College at
.Mitchell. He then engaged in the hardware business in the latter place for
three years, but at the end of that ])eriod sold out and returned to the farm,
tollowing the \-ocation of agriculture continuously up to 191 1, when he
assumed the ofhce of covuit\' assess(jr, to which he had been elected in 1910
on the Republican ticket. The ofhce is a four-year term, therefore he will
serve until i<.)\^. He is a man of good (jualifications for the office which
he holds, l)eing a splendid judge of actual real estate values and is discharg-
ing his duties to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He still owns
his home farm and makes farming his ])rincipal \i)cation. He takes a deep
interest in all agricultural affairs and has served for two years as chairman
of the Farmers' Institute of Lawrence county and has been in many ways
connected with farming interests all his life. Politically, he is, as has been
stated, a Republican, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Free and
• Accepted Masons, he holding membership in Mitchell Lodge No. 128. Re-
ligiously, he is a member of the Baptist church, to which he gives a liberal
support.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 723
On September 2t,, 1895. Mr. Hammer married Alma 1{. Palmer, the
daughter of Mason Palmer, of Da\iess county, Indiaua, and to them have
lieen born four children, Frank V., (Georgia A., John X. and Priscilla H.
As a farmer Mr. Hamer is held in high esteem by his fellow agriculturists
because of his up-t(j-date methods and the consistent success with which lie
operated his place. He is the owner of one of the best farms in Mari(Mi
township and has so skilfully rotated his crops as to preserve the strength
of the soil and his land is as productix'e as any in the locality where he resides,
no farm in the county being lo<jke(l after with greater care. He has long
taken an active interest in pul)lic affairs and has jjcrformed his full part as
a public-spirited citizen, in his ofticial capacity using the same sound judg-
ment and go(xl business principles that he exercised in his own personal
affairs. Owing to his loyalt\- t(t his count}', his scrupulously honest dealings
with his fellow men anil his splendid personal character Mr. Hamer has won
the undivided respect and esteem of all who know him and is regarded b\-
all as among the best and most influential citizen- of his county.
JAMES 1). BYKXS, M. D.
There is no class to whom greater gratitude is due from the world at
large than the self-sacriticing, sympathetic, noble-minded men whose life
work is the alleviation of suffering and the ministering of comfort to the
afflicted, to the end that the span of human existence may lie lengthened and
a great degree of satisfaction enjoyed during the remainder of their earthly
sojourn. There is no standard bv which their beneficent influence can be
measured; their helpfulness is limited only by the extent of their knowledge
and skill, while their power goes hand in hand with the wonderful laws of
nature that spring from the very source of life itself. Some one has aptly
said, "He serves God best who ser\es humanit\ most." Among the ])hysi-
cians and surgeons of Lawrence county who ha'.e risen to eminence in their
chosen field of endeavor is the sul)ject of this review, whose career has been
that of a broad-minded, conscientious worker in the sphere to which his life
and energies have been devoted and whose profound knowledge of his pro-
fession has won for him a leading place among the most distinguished
medical men of his dav and generation in the city of his residence.
James 1). Byrns, M. D., is a native of the old Blue Grass state of Ken-
tucky, where he was born on July J-4. 1870, and he is the son of Jamison D.
724
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and Melissa (Duvall) Byrns, both of whom are natives also of Kentucky.
The father, who was a farmer, was also a prominent man in his community,
being possessed of those characteristics which give strength and substantial
character to a people and he spent his entire life in that state. To him and
his wife were born three children. Mary, Sarah and James D.
The subject of tliis sketch received his education in the public schools
at Madison, Indiana, supplementing this by three years' attendance at Hano-
\er College. Having then decided to make the practice of medicine his life
work, he matriculated in the Louisville Medical College, where he pursued
the regular course and graduated in 1894. receiving the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. In that same year he came to Mitchell and entered upon the
active practice of his profession, in which he has met with most eminent
success, as is attested bv the large and remunerative practice which he enjoys
and the high esteem in which he is held throughout the community. Doctor
Byrns is an enthusiast in his chosen calling, a close student and an original
thinker and untiring investigator. He avails himself of every legitimate
means to keep in touch with the trend of modern medical thought and is
familiar with the leading authorities, having a fine library in which he spends
much time when he is not responding to the calls of his numerous patients
In him are combined two facts which have been the main contributing ele-
ments to his success, thorough preparation and a deep interest in the profes-
sion, (jualities which are absolutely essential to advancement in a calling re-
cpiiring such proficiency and skill as the healing art. His knowledge of the
kindred sciences of medicine and surgery is broad and comprehensive and
in his professional labors he has shown himself amply qualified to cope with
the intricate problems that continually confront the practitioner in his etTorts
to i)r(>long life and to restore health.
On Xo\ ember 3, 1897, Doctor Bvrns was married to Elizabeth Crim.
the daughter of Martin D. and Cerilda J. (Burton) Crim. both of whom were
representati\'es of old Lawrence county families.
In his profession Doctor Byrns has long been pronfinent and for three
\ear> under President Cleveland's administration he served as a member of
the board of L'nited States pension examiners, and for seventeen years he
has served as health ofiicer of ^Mitchell, being the present incumbent of that
responsible i)osition. Politically, he is a Democrat and takes an active interest
in his ])arty's succes. though his professional duties preclude his taking an
active part in public matters. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and
AcceiJted Masons and the Knights of Pythias at Mitchell, while his religious
membership is with the Baptist church, in the prosperity of which he is ac
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 725
lively interested. The Doctor is a most genial and companionable gentleman
and has a host of warm and admiring friends among the residents of his
adopted city. All who come within the range of his influence are profuse
in their praise of his admirable qualities and the high regard in which he is
held not only professionally, but socially, indicates the possession of attributes
and characteristics that fully entitle him to the respect and consideration of
his fellow men.
JOSEPH LEANDER HOLMES.
Hard and laborious effort was the lot of the subject during his youth
and early manhood, but his fidelity to duty won him the respect and confi-
dence of those \voth whom he was thrown in contact and by patient contin-
uance in well doing he gradually arose from an humble station to his present
high standing among the leading men of Mitchell, Indiana.
Joseph Leander Holmes was born on February 2t„ 1839, in Livonia.
Washington county, Indiana, and is a son of \\'illiam Thornton Holmes.
who was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, in 1807. The latter, as a boy of
seven years, came to Indiana with his parents. Hugh and Sarah (Scott)
Holmes, also natives of Kentucky, the family locating at Millersburg, in
Orange county, Indiana. Here Hugh Holmes set himself to the task of
digging a mill race, and in the effort he lost his health and died in 1822. He
was survived many years by his widow, who died at Mitchell in 1861. They
were the parents of ele\'en children, of whom only two grew to maturity.
William Thornton and Mary, who became the wife of Silas Moore, who was
for many years one of the prominent citizens of Mitchell, Indiana. William
Thornton Holmes received a common school education, but he supplemented
this by liberal reading and close observation so that he became a well in-
formed man and good all-around scholar. He spent practically his entire life
in Washington county. Indiana, w^here he enjoyed the respect and confidence
of all who knew him. He died on March 9, 1893. ^"d his wife also is de--
ceased. They were earnest members of the Presbyterian church and in poli-
tics he was a Whig, though not an aspirant for public of¥ice. During his later
life he owned and operated a farm and was successful in his operations. To
him and his wife were born the following children : Sarah Ann. deceased,
was the wife of Benjamin Sherwood, of Greene county. Indiana; George
Hamilton Moore died at the age of eighty years unmarried. Pie was a suc-
cessful farmer; Lavina lane McClelland became the wife of James H. Mc-
726 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
Pheeters and afterward the wife of Thomas Richards, and li\ed and died in
Washington county, In.hana: Ilnoh Hamilton Scott was a merchant in
Louisville. Kentucky, and is now deceased: Hilary Juan Fernandez became
the wife of Dr. John S, McF^heeters. of Livonia, and is now deceased; Joseph
Leander is the immediate subject of this sketch; Hannah Miranda became
the wife of Benjamin I'". Wible. and is now deceased: Justine Irene became
the wife of Walter Writ^ht. of Livonia. Indiana: Frances .\rabella is the
widow of Nathan K. McFlieeters. and lives in Champaign. Illinois; Samuel
Thornton, now deceased, married Frances Knox, He was a merchant of
Livonia. Indiana, and since his death his widow lives at Paoli. Indiana; Zilla
Emmeline married, first. Samuel Banks, and after his death, Dr. Holliday.
who also is now deceased, and she now lives at Li\onia. Indiana,
loseph L. Holmes received only a limited school education and was
reared on the paternal farmstead. After his marriage he engaged in wagon-
making at Livonia. Indiana, for ten years, and then moved to Salem, where
he remained five years, going from there to Campbellsburg. and five years
later to Mitchell, locating here in 1879, After locating here he first engaged
for about eight vears in wagon-making and then engaged in the mercantile
business with his S(mis, in which from the beginning they met with eminent
success. The business is conductetl under the firm name of Holmes Brothers,
which is one of the most popular mercantile firms in this locality. They carry
a large and well selected line of general goods, and because of their courteous
treatment of patrons nad business integrity, they enjoy not only a large pat-
ronage but the unlimited confidence and good will of all who have dealings
with them.
In 1860 Joseph L. Holmes married Margaret Elizabeth Weller, of Nel-
son county, Kentucky, a daughter of Jonathan Weller. also of Nelson county,
where he spent his entire life and died. To Mr. and Mrs. Holmes were born
the following children : Flmer Ellsworth, of St. Louis. Missouri ; William
Tonathan, who is employed in the Monon Railroad Company's offices at Chi-
cago, married Adaline Tanksle\' ; Flugh Hamilton, who is now principal of
the Central high school at Kansas City. Missouri, taught one school in that
city for sixteen }-ears; he married Nettie Hammond: John Leander. who is a
member of the firm of Holmes ISrothers. at [Mitchell, has been twice married,
first to Martha Talbot, and second to Mary Tall)ot: Samuel Weller, who is
also a member of tlie firm of Holmes Brothers, married Adeline Newland ;
Mary Margaret is the widow of R. E. Laughlin and lives in Mitchell. Her
deceased husband was for many years in the navy department at Washing-
tor. D. C.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 'J2'^
A Republican in politics, Joseph L. Holmes takes a deep interest in pul)lic
affairs, as every true citizen of the republic should, though he has nexer had
ambition for the honors and emoluments of public office. Fraternally, he has
been for forty years an appreciative mem])er of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, while, religiously, he is connected with the ^Methodist Episcopal
church. His wife died on February i8, 1913, at the age of seventy-four years.
She was a woman of many splendid qualities of head and heart and had
endeared herself to a large circle of acquaintances and friends. 1lie subject,
who is familiarly known among his associates as "Uncle Joe," is genial and
unassuming in manner, being optimistic in his disposition and jolly in his in-
tercourse with his friends, and throughout the communitv where he has
spent so many active years he enjoys the unlimited confidence and regard of
those who know him. The world has too few such men, and it is the wish
of his many friends that his years may lie many yet in the community which
is honored by his citizenship.
MARTIN A. BURTON.
Martin A. Burton, son of Isom and Mary (Alexander) liurton, was
born in Lawrence county, Indiana, ]\Iay 7", 1844, on the farm now known as
the Red Cross farm. He was reared on the farm, and in addition to attend-
ing the common schools and the Bedford graded schools, attended the State
University at Bloomington for two years and the Brvant and Stratton Com-
mercial College at Cincinnati. .After lea\-ing school, he clerked in Bedford
and afterward mo\cd back to the farm, which he left in 1S70 to settle in
Mitchell, where he has since continuously lived with the exception of two
years, 1877 to 1879, during which time he served as sherift' of Lawrence
county, being the only Democrat elected to that office since the beginning of
the Civil war. L^pon moA'ing to Mitchell lie was employed as clerk ])y the
firm of Sheeks & Wood until January i, 1872, when he embarked in business
for himself, which he continued, with the exception of the two years, 1877
to 1879, until June i, 19 13. He has been identified with Mitchell in many
of^ces of honor and trust and is a useful and ])ublic-spirited citizen. He was
one of the organizers and stockholders of the Mitchell Building, Savings and
Loan Association and has served as director or officer for manv years, being
at present treasurer of the association. He early affiliated with the Democratic
party and has been honored by them with various offices and appointments.
728 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Mr. Burton was married on December 28, 1868, to Laura H. Brown-
field, of Larue county, Kentucky, to which union were horn six children:
Jesse B., Clyde A. and Eva L., living, and Stella, Mahel and Fleta, deceased.
He is a member of Mitchell Lodge Xo. 242, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and of the Presbvterian church.
WILLLAM M. LOUDEN.
It is not an easv task to adecjuately describe the character of a man who
has led an eminently active and l)usy life in connection with the great legal
profession and who has stamped his individuality on the plane of definite
accomplishment in one of the most exacting fields of human endeavor.
Yet tliere is alwavs full measure of satisfaction in adverting, even in a
casual wav. to the career of an able and conscientious worker in any line
of human endeavor. Among the trulv self-made and representative men
of Monroe countv none ranks higher than the honorable gentleman whose
name lieads this sketch, who is a conspicuous figure in the civic life of the
community. A man of tireless energy and indomitable courage, he has
won and held tlie unqualified esteem of his fellow citizens. With the law
as his profession from young manhood, he has won a brilliant reputation and
the future gives promise of still much greater things for him.
William M. Louden was horn in ^Monroe county, Indiana, on February
22, 1873. and is the son of John FI. and Elizabeth C. (Hemphill) Louden,
the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of South Carolina.
John H. Louden came to Favette countv, Indiana, in an early day, and after
completing the public schools, he became a student in the State University,
where he was graduated in the liberal arts department in 1861, and in the
law departftient in 1863. He entered u])on the active practice of his pro-
fession at Bloomington. in wliich he was continually and successfully en-
gaged up to within a short time of his death, which occurred on June 3,
1911. As a lawyer he took an acti\e part in pul)lic affairs during his early
life, but during his later years the extreme deafness with which he was
afflicted interfered largely with his work in the court room, after which he
devoted his time to the preparation of cases and the briefing of cases for
the supreme court. His wife died on January 2^^. 1909. They were the
i)arents of three children: Theodore }.. an attorney: Ida, the wife of
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 729
Harry E. Coblentz. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and William M., the subject
of this sketch.
William M. Louden received his elementary education in the Bloom-
ington public schools, after which he entered the State University, where
he was graduated in 189 1. He immediately took up the law course in the
State University, where he was graduated in 1893. and since that time he
has been actively identified with the legal practice at Bloomington. His
ability as a lawyer is widely recognized, and during the vears he has been
identified with legal matters in this county he has been connected with many
of the most important cases tried in the local courts. From 1906 until
1910 he was assistant prosecuting attorney of the tenth judicial circuit, and
on January 1. 1912, he became prosecuting attorney of such circuit and is
now discharging the duties of that responsible ofiice to the entire satisfaction
of all concerned. His learning, capacity, aptitude and persistency are read-
ily recognized and the prophecy of his friends is that he will be favored with
many additional honors from his fellow citizens. He has an unblemished
record, having always been upright and honorable in all his relations with
his fellow men, setting a worthy example of a public spirited, honest, ener-
getic and wholesome character such as the public always delights to reward
and honor.
On June 4. 1907. Mr. Louden was married to Lila Hart Burnett, the
daughtei' of John E. and Emma Louise (Jones) Burnett, of Peoria. Illinois.
Mr. and ]\lrs. Louden have a very comfortable and attractive home at No.
519 North Walnut street, Bloomington, where they delight to entertain
their many friends and where the spirit of genuine old-time hospitality is
always evident.
Mr. Louden belongs to the L'nited Presbyterian church, while AL's.
Louden is a member of the Episcopal church. Fraternally. Mr. Louden is
a member (vf the Benevolent and Protecti\e Order of Elks, and also belongs
to the Sons of the American Revolution; while in college he was a member
of tlie Phi (jamma Delta Greek-letter fraternity. Mrs. Louden, who gradu-
ated from the State University at Bloomington. was a member of the Kappa
Kappa Gamma sorority, and is now a member of and interested in the work
of the Local Council of Women, the Daughters of the American Re\'olu-
tion. the Bloomington Art Association, the American Collegiate Alumnae.
the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Club, the AA'ednesday Club and other
organizations.
The subiect of this sketch saw active service during the late unpleasant-
730
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ness l)et\vecn S]);iin and the L'niled States, liavin,^- l;een commissioned cap-
tain of Coni])any H. One Hundred and 1m' fl\-nintli Ive.^iment Indiana Vol-
unteer Infantry.
Aside from his jirofc-sional interests, Mr. Louden is connected with
se\-eral local enterprises of importance and owun, anion;;- other i^roperties,
the princii)al interest in the .\llen-Louden huildini^-, one of the most sub-
stantial business and office buildings of Bloomington. In all the qualities
that go to make ideal citizenshii) he is well e(pup])ed and among- those with
whom he associates he is held in high regard and is ])o])ular through(nit
the community.
MILLARD C. REED.
The strong, earnest men of a people are always public benefactors.
Their usefulness in the immediate s])ecific labors they perform can be defined
by metes and bounds, but the good they do through the forces they put in
motion and through the insjiiration of their presence and example is im-
measurable by any finite gauge or standard of yalue. The gentleman whose
name introduces this sketch is a man of this type. Although well known and
highly esteemed, he is ayerse to any notice sayoring of adulation and prefers
to let his achieyements rather than the fulsome praise of the chronicler speak
for him. Eyery life, howeyer, if properly known, contains more or less of
interest, and the ]niblic claims a certain property interest and rigj-it in the
career of eyery citizen, regardless of his achieyements or the station he has
attained. In i)lacing before the reader the brief review that follows, due
deference is accorded tlie feelings of the subject, in conformity with whose
well known wishes the writer will endeavor to adhere strictly to facts and
omit at far as possible con-iplimentary allusions, at the same time realizing
that the latter have been honorably earned and should form no small part of
a life sketch in which it is sought to render nothing but what justice and
meritorious recognition demand.
Millard C Reed, the well known druggist and public-spirited citizen at
Mitchell, Lawrence county, Indiana, is a native son of the old Hoosier state,
having been bcjrn in Orange county on August lo, 1859. He is a son of
Jonah G. and jane ( Teegarden ) Reed, the former of whom was also a
native of Orange county. The subject's paternal grandfather, William Reed,
was born in West X'irginia. l)ut was a very early settler of Orange county,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 73I
ha\ing settled in 1811 on Lost ri\er, near ;lie Lland cluirch. There he en-
gaged in farming, to which he dexdted all of his acti\e years. Jonah (i.
Reed also followed agricnitural pursuits all his life and was a man of
splendid character and prominent in the communitx'. He serxed as iustice of
the peace for thirty consecutix'e years, this alone heing a marked exidence of
his honesty of action and purity of motive, and he also serxed two terms as a
member of the board of county commissit^ners. He was a \ery active mem-
ber in the Christian church and alwa\s stood for the right under all circum-
stances. He and his wife are both now deceased. Thex' were the parents of
eight children, namely: One xvho died in infanc}-; William, who died young:
Henry A. and Sarah J. are both deceased: Ruth A., Millard C, and Ella R.
and Mary R., both of xvhom are also deceased.
Millard C. Reed attended the common schools in Orange county antl
after the securing of his education he took up mercantile i)ursuits in Orleans,
Indiana, in which he continued from iS8<) until 1899. He then became a
traveling salesman for J. C. Perry iS: Compan\-, wh')lesale grocers, of Indian-
apolis, with whom be remained two years, and then moved to Mitchell, Law-
rence county, where in 1901 he engaged in the hardware business. In 1907
he disposed of that lousiness and the following nine months were spent in
southern California. He then returned to Mitchell and devoted his attention
to farming for five years, l)ut sold out in 191 2 and for a year was occupied
with nothing in particular. In [913 Mr. Reed engaged in the drug business
at Mitchell, in which he is still engaged and in which he has met with success.
He carries a large and complete line of fresh and high grade drugs, together
with all the accessory lines usually found in up-to-date drug stores, and by
courteous treatment and sound business methods he is meeting with the de-
gree of success which his ettorts deserve.
On August 12, 1891, ^Ir. Reed married Eva Collins, the daughter of
Thomas X. and Ruth ( Park) Collins, both representatives of sterling Orange
county families. To this union have been born three children, namely: ^lil-
dred J., and Edith R. and Edna, twins, the latter dying at the age of five
months.
Politically, 'Sir. Reed was for many years a stanch Republican, but is
now an enthusiastic supjiorter of the Progressive party. He had for nearly a
quarter of a century been active in political affairs, had ser\-ed as a delegate
to the state conventions and to many other conventions during that period.
He was elected a member of the board of school trustees of ^Mitchell and ren-
dered splendid service in the cause of education. Fraternally, he is a member
732
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA.
of the Knights of Pythias, belonging to Lodge No. 150 at Alitchell. and for
nearly a quarter of a century has been a familiar figure in Pythian circles.
Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian church and in his daily life
endeavors to exemplify the principles which he professes in this membership.
By a life consistent in motive and action and because of his many high per-
sonal qualities. Mr. Reed has earned the sincere regard of all who know him.
and in his home, which is the center of a large social circle, there is always in
evidence a spirit of generous hospitality, old and young alike being at all
times welcome.
JAMES FRANKLIX COLLIER.
This utilitarian age has been especially prolific in men of action, clear-
brained men of high resolves and noble purposes, who give character and
stability to the communities honored by their citizenship, and whose in-
fluence and leadership are easily discernible in the various enterprises that
have added so greatlv to the high reputation which Lawrence county enjoys
among her sister counties of this great commonwealth. Conspicuous among
this class of men whose place of residence is in this county is the progressive
citizen under whose name this article is w-ritten, and to a brief outline of
whose career the biographer is herewith pleased to address himself.
James F. Collier was born on October 29, 1874. in Vernon township,
Washington county, Indiana, and is the son of Benjamin and Eliza Jane
(Chastain) Collier, both of whom also were natives of Washington county.
The father was a successful farmer and dealer in live stock and also operated
a mill. He was a life-long resident of \\'ashington county, and by worthy
effort and a life of sterling integrity he commanded the confidence and good
will of all who knew him. He and his wife both died in September, 1909, he
at the age of seventy-four years and she aged sixty-nine years. They were
faithful and earnest members of the Baptist church. Politically, he was an
ardent Democrat, taking a deep interest in public affairs, but never was an
aspirant for public office. To him and his wife were born seven children,
namely: L. O., a lumber dealer at Louisville. Indiana: Laura, who became
the wife of Lemuel Chastain, of Washington county, Indiana: Lemuel, who
is engaged in the lumber business at Indianapolis ; Charles, a farmer in Wash-
ington county; James Franklin, the immediate subject of this sketch; Hattie.
the wife of Charles Johnson, of Fresno, California; and William, who oper-
ates the old family homestead in Washington county.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 733
James F. Collier received a practical, common school education and re-
mained on the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-one years, his
labors being devoted to the farm and to the operation of the saw mill owned
by his father. Soon after his marriage, which occurred in 1902. he and his
wife came to Mitchell, Lawrence county, Indiana, where he was first em-
ployed in a spoke mill for three years and then was otherwise engaged until
he embarked in his present business, coal, feed and flour, in which he has met
with the most pronounced success. In 191 2 Mr. Collier erected his present,
well-arranged warehouse, thirty-six by eight-two feet in dimensions, and
substantial coal sheds and other necessary outbuildings for the accommoda-
tion of his business. He enjoys his full share of the public patronage. He
has, by his earnest effort, strict business integrity and sound business meth-
ods, earned the confidence and regard of his business associates and is num-
bered among the enterprising and progressive business men of the town.
Politically. Mr. Collier is a Democrat and has taken a great deal of
interest in politics, having been a prominent figure in the local councils of his
party. He is a member of the town council of Mitchell, and is earnest in his
efforts for the improvement and upbuilding of the town. Fraternally, he is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the subor-
dinate lodge at Mitchell. Starting in life with practically nothing, he has
by his indomitable effort attained to an eminent success and because of his
attainment he is entitled to the eminent standing which he enjoys in his
community.
On March 31. 1902, Mr. Collier married Ollie W'estfall, of Washington
countv. Indiana, and to them was born one child, who died in infancy.
JOHN A. GIBBONS. M. D.
The man who devotes his talent and energies to the no1)le work of ad-
ministering to the ills and alleviating the sufferings of humanity pursues a
calling which in dignity and imijortance and beneficial results is second to no
other. If true to his profession and earnest, in his effort to enlarge his
sphere of usefulness, he is indeed a benefactor to all of his kind, for to him
more than to any other man are entrusted the safety, the comfort and in
many instances the lives of those who place themselves under his care.
Amongst this class of professional men is the gentleman whose name appears
at the head of this sketch, who has stood for many years with few peers and
734 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
no superiors anion^- the ])h\-sicians of Lawrence county, Indiana, during
which time he has not only gained a wide notoriety in his chosen vocation,
but has also established a sound reputation for uprightness and noble charac-
ter in all the relations of life. He early realized that to those who attain
determinate success in tlie medical jirofession there must be not only given
technical ability, but also a broad human s\-mpathy whicli must pass from
mere sentiment to lie an actu.ating motive for heli)fulncss, so lie has dignified
and honored his profession by noble ser\'ices in which through long years of
close application he has attained unqualified success.
John A. Gibbons was born in (Irange count}-, Indiana, on February 9.
1873, and is the son of .\sa and Marguerite ( Wilson) Gibbons, ])oth of whom
were natives of Orange count}-. The father was a farmer in his early life,
but shortly after his marriage he enlisted in Comi)any E, Sixty-sixth Indiana
A^olunteer Infantr\-, with which he serxed three }-ears, during the great re-
bellion, but was so iiijured during the service that he was disabled from
further active efforts and received an honorable discharge for physical dis-
ability. During the rest of his life he gave a general oversight to his farming
operations, though himself prexeiited from actixe physical labor. To him
and his wife were ])orn fixe children, namely: Belle, Kile}-, John, Ruth and
George. The father of these children is now deceased, but the mother is
still living.
John .\. Gil)l)ons rccei\ed bis elementarv etlucation in the common
schools of his nati\e count}-, after which he was a student in the Southern
Indiana Normal College at Alitchell, then, having determined to make the
practice of medicine his ])rofession, he matriculated in the Central College of
TMivsicians and Surgeons at Indianapolis, where he was graduated in 1898.
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He ininiediately canie to Mitchell
and engaged in the actixe ])ractice of his profession, which has commanded
his undivided attention continuously since that time. He is a man of marked
intellectual attainments and his thorough ])rofessional traiiiing and enthus-
ia.sm for his work haxe enabled him to achieve a ])ron()unce(l success in the
healing art. His life :i,s one of the world's workers has been one of devotion,
almost consecration to his calling, and well does he nierit a place of honor in
the history of his county as touching upon the lixes and deeds of those who
have gi\en the best of their ])owers and talent for the aiding and betterment
of their kind.
On September 10, 1899, Doctor Gil)])ons was married to Jessie R. Cas-
tile, the daughter of Thomas and Alice ( W'halen ) Castile, the father a native
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 735
of Ohio and the mother of Monroe county. Indiana. The father, who was a
farmer and later a raih'oad man, was a veteran oi the Civil war, and served
in the Thirteenth Regiment Ohio \'olnnteer Infantry.
Politically, Doctor (nbbuns gives his support to the Progressive partv,
the principles of which he firmly lielieves to be for the best interests of the
American peoi)le. braternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted
Masons and the Independent Order of Odd hallows, while his religions
membership is with the Baptist church, in the ])rosperitv of which lie is deeply
interested. Doctor Gibbons" career has indeed been an honorable one and,
though strenuous, there is nothing in it savoring in the slightest degree of
disrepute, his relations with his fellow men having ever been above reproach
and his g-ood name beyond criticism.
FRED F. JULIUS.
In the daily laborious struggle for an honorable competence and a solid
career on the part of a business or professional man there is little to attract
the casual reader in search of a sensational chapter, but to a mind thoroughly
awake to the reality and meaning of human existence there are noble and im-
perishable lessons in the career of an individual who, without other means
than a clear head, strong arm and true heart, directed and controlled by cor-
rect principles and unerring judgment, conquers adversity and finally wins
not only pecuniary independence, but what is far greater and higher, the
deserved respect and confidence of those with whom his active years have
been spent.
Fred F. Julius is a native of Madison county, Indiana, born December
5, 1881, and is the son of Charles E. and Lula (^\^■song) lulius, both of
whom also were natives of Madison county, the father having been an expert
mechanical engineer. They were the parents of six chilclren, four sons and
two daughters, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follows :
Harry lives at Anderson, Indiana, where also his brother W'ysong lives, the
latter being engaged in general farming; Gordon also lives in Anderson; ]\Irs.
Retta Ashby, of Touisville, Kentucky, and Mrs. Lizzie Skelton, deceased.
The subject attended the public schools at .Anderson, where he received
a good, practical education and at the age of seventeen years he entered upon
a course of instruction under the direction of his father in learning the steam
and electrical engineering profession, comj^leting his training at the age of
736 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
twenty-two years. He also took a course of electrical engineering under pri-
vate instruction, and upon the completion of his technical training he took
charge of the plant of the Sales, Blackledge & Nellis Company, of Illinois,
with which concern he remained a }'ear. He then went to Anderson, where
he had charge of the Indiana Brick Company ])lant for two years, and then
came to Williams, since which time lie has liad charge of the Southern In-
diana Power Company's plant, having been with this company now for three
years. He thoroughly understands every detail of his business and has made
himself an invaluable employe in his ])resent position. Careful training and
the most intense application to the work in hand have been the elements
which have contributed to his success, and today he enjoys a high reputation
among the firms with which he has been connected in a professional capacity.
On October i, 1903. Mr. Julius was married to Fern Lowry, of New-
castle. Henry county, Indiana, and to this union have been born six children,
namely: Margaret, Katharine, Frederick, who died on October 27, 1912;
Edward and Neil. Mr. Julius owns an attractive home in Indian Creek town-
ship, where he finds his most enjoyable surroundings, and he is numbered
among the popular and progressive citizens of the locality. Fraternally, he
is a member of Lodge No. 528, Knights of Pythias, and in his life he en-
deavors to exemplify the s|)lendid percepts of that honored order.
ISAAC H. CROI.
Fxamples that impress force of character on all who study them are
worthy of record. By a few general nbservatiDns mav be conveved some idea
of the high standing of Isaac H. Crim in the Cdmmunity w-here so many of
his active years have been spent. United in his composition are so manv ele-
ments of a solid and practical nature which during a series of years have
brought him into prominent notice, and earned for him a conspicuous place
among the enterprising men of Lawrence county, that it is but just recogni-
tion of his worth to speak at some lengtli of his life and achievements.
The subject of this sketch is descended from a sterling line of Holland
ancestry, his progenitors in this country ha\ing come from that country to
America about 1720. locating in Pennsyhania. Subsequentlv they moved
from the Keystone state to \' irginia, locating near Staunton in the Shenan-
doah valley, where many representatives of the family are living today. The
subject's great-grandfather. John Crim, mo\ed from Staunton to Paris,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 737
Kentuck}', where he purchased a large tract of land and is supposed to have
remained there until his death. He was the father of two sons, of whom the
eldest was the subject's grandfather, Stephen Crim. The latter married
Jane Paris and about the year 1823 they emigrated to }*Iartin county, In-
diana, locating near Mt. Pleasant. To them were born four children, John,
Martin D., Nathan and Mildred. The eldest of these married Sarah Burns,
and of the four children born to them one was Isaac H., the immediate sub-
ject of this sketch, who was born in Martin county, Indiana, on Januan- i.
1842. Subsequently John Crim brought his family to Johnson county, In-
diana, where his death occurred in July, 1844, and soon afterwards his widow
moved with her children to Illinois, where the subject of this sketch was
mostly reared. He received his education in the district schools and in young
manhood he engaged in farming. In the fall of i860 he came to Indiana on
a visit, remaining until the spring of the following year when, on April 23d,
he enlisted in Company C, Fourteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
with which he rendered valiant service in defense of his country until January
15, 1863, when he was honorably discharged on account of wounds received
at the battle of Antietam. During his military service he took part in many
of the most hotly contested battles of that great struggle and had endured all
the privations and sufferings incident to the campaigns in the Southland.
Among the important battles in which he took part were those of Rich Moun-
tain, Greenbrier, Cheat Mountain, Winchester and Antietam, beside many
others of minor importance. Upon returning home Mr. Crim entered the
employ of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad as station agent and telegraph
operator. In the course of time he drifted to Lawrence county, Indiana,
with which locality he has since been closely identified and which has been
his home continuously since. He has, because of his sterling qualities of
character, long occupied a high place in the esteem of his fellow citizens in
this county and in 1878 was elected auditor of Lawrence county, discharging
his duties so satisfactorily that in 1882 he was elected to succeed himself, thus
serving a period of eight years in this important office. In 1892 Mr. Crim
was elected circuit clerk of the courts and was re-elected in 1896, thus also
serving eight years in this office. His public career was characterized by the
most steadfast attention to his public duties and his attention to every detail
and courteous treatment of all who had dealings with his offices won for him
a well deserved popularity among the voters of the count}'. As a Republican,
Mr. Crim has long been active in political affairs and served as county chair-
(47)
738 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
man of the county several terms. On September i, 1903, Mr. Crim became
a rural route mail carrier and has thus served more than ten years in this
capacity.
On October 25, 1866, Isaac Crim married Mary E. Newkirk, and to
their union have been born two children, Carrie, born August 15, 1867, and
Lulu on December 2, 1869. Carrie was married on January 16, 1888, to Jesse
M. Winstanley, of Bedford, and Lulu was married on December 14, 1898,
to Charles E. Frances, also of Bedford.
Religiously, Mr. Crim and the members of his family are all connected
with tlie Methodist Episcopal church, to which they give faithful and earnest
support, while, fraternally, he is an appreciative member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. "Sir. and Mrs. Crim are leading quiet lives and they
are highly respected by all their neighbors and acquaintances for the hon-
orable and praiseworthy lives they have led and for the hospitality they have
■ever shown to the poor and needy, having long been worthy examples and
influential for good wherever they have resided. Genial and unassuming in
his relations with his fellow men, Mr. Crim easily wins friends and among
the wide acquaintance which he enjoys he has many warm and loyal sup-
porters.
MARSHALL WOOLERY. • . ; .
The record of the subject of this sketch is that of a man who, by his
own unaided efforts, has worked his way from a modest beginning to a posi-
tion of influence in his community. His life has been one of unceasing in-
dustry and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable methods he has
followed have v,on for him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens
of Lawrence county, whose interests he has ever had at heart and which he
has always labored to promote.
Marshall Woolery, of Bedford. Indiana, who, though not long engaged
in the active practice of his profession, has already achieved an enviable repu-
tation among his colleagues, is a native of this county, having been bom near
Bedford on October 16, 1871. He is the son of Joseph and Matilda (McFar-
land) Woolery, both of whom are now deceased. The father was born in
Lawrence county and the mother in Monroe countv. Indiana. The former
was a well known stock buyer in this locality during his active days and at one
time rendered efficient service to the community as justice of the peace. He
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 739
-was a man of jovial disposition and was well known in Lawrence and ad-
joining counties, and had a reputation as a humorous story teller. The
family comes of German stock on the paternal side, while in the maternal
line Irish blood predominates. The subject's paternal grandfather, Jacob Wool-
ery, who was a native of Pennsyhania. came to Indiana in an early day and
was numbered among the pioneer citizens of Lawrence county, where for many
years he followed the vocation of agriculture. He married Hannah Todd
May 26, 1808. and reared a family of fifteen children, of which number the
father of the subject was the last survivor. Jacob Woolery was born Febru-
ary 27, 1786, and died November lo, 1866, in this county, while his son, the
father of the subject, died August it,, 1899, '"''■'' widow surviving him a few
years, dying July 23, 1902. Joseph Woolery. father of the suliject. was a
member of Company G, Thirty-first Regiment, Indiana W)lunteer Infantry,
serving four years, enlisting in Lawrence county August 2:^,, 1861, and a
notable coincident was that he died on the anniversary of his enlistment.
He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and was buried under
the auspices of that order. To the subject's parents were born six children,
namely: Alice, the widow of Elijah Fox, late of Bedford: Dr. Perry Wool-
ery, of Heltonville, Lawrence county, Indiana: Marshall, the immediate sub-
ject of this sketch: Emma, the wife of Samuel May, postmaster at Guthrie,
this county; Benjamin F., a successful physician in Louisville, Kentucky, and
Maggie, deceased.
Marshall \\'Oolery, who was born and reared on a farm, received his
elementary education in the common schools, from which he graduated. He
later took a business course in the Indianapolis Business University, and for
some time thereafter followed the vocation of stenographer at Indianapolis
and Louisville. He later attended the Southern Indiana Normal College at
Mitchell, where he graduated in the pedagogical department, and thereafter
for several years he was successfully engaged as a teacher in the schools of
Lawrence countv. He was an educator of unusual ability, and at the time he
quit teaching he was the possessor of a life teacher's license. He had for-
some time desired to enter upon the practice of law. and between school times
he had devoted himself to the study of Blackstone, Kent and other legal au-
thorities and eventuallv became a student in the Indiana Law School, where
he graduated in 1907. Two years prior to his graduation, however, he had
entered upon the active practice of law at North Vernon, l)ut after gradua-
tion he came to Bedford and opened an office and has since been actively en-
gaged in the professional work. He has been admitted to practice in Indiana
74© LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
supreme court and United States circuit courts. He has built up a splendid
practice and a wide reputation as an able and successful lawyer, having given
his especial attention to the practice of criminal law and been connected with
some of the most important cases tried in the local courts. Mr. Woolery's
success is the more commendable from the fact that owing to his parents'
straightened circumstances he had but few opportunities in boyhood, and in
the fullest sense of the term is entitled to the proud American term of self-
made man. It is also noteworthy that the three boys born to his parents have
all made good in the professions, his two brothers being successful physicians.
Politically, Mr. Woolery gives his support to the Republican party, in
the success of which he takes an active interest, though not a seeker after
public office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose, while his religious member-
ship is with the Christian chruch. Mr. Woolery is a wide and extensive
reader, possesses a well selected library of standard works and is himself a
man of considerable literary taste and ability. He wrote the class poem for
the "Annual" while in the Indiana Law School and has done other writing
of considerable merit. As a lawyer Air. Woolery is noted for the clearness
of statement and candor with which he conducts his cases. He seeks faith-
fully for firm ground, and having once found it nothing can turn him from
his position. By a straightforward, honorable course he has built up a large
and lucrative legal business and his life affords a splendid example of what an
American youth, plentifully endowed with good common sense, energy and
determination can accomplish when directed and controlled by earnest moral
principles.
JAMES M. CARESS.
Whether llie elements of success in life are innate attributes of the indi-
vidual or whether the}' are (|uickcne(l liy a process of circumstantial devel-
opment, it is inipossiljle to clearly determine. Yet the studv of a successful
life, whate\er the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and profitable
by reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. So much in excess
of those of successes are the records of failures or semi-failures, that one
is constrainecl to attempt an analysis in either case and to determine the
measure of causation in an approximate way. But in studying the life his-
tory of the well known resident and popular citizen of Bedford, whose name
forms the caption of this sketch, we find many qualities in his makeup that
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 741
always gain detinite success in any career if [jroperly directed, as his has
evidently been done, which has resulted in a life of good to others as well as
in a comfortable competence to himself.
James M. Caress was born near Salem, Indiana, on January 3, 1848, and
is the son of Peter and Rachel (Worrall) Caress, the father a native of
Shelby county, Kentucky, and the mother of Charleston, Clark county, In-
diana. Peter Caress was a son of Simon and Elizabeth (Shephard) Caress,
the father being of good old Dutch stock. He met his wife in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, where they were married, and eventually they canie to Indi-
ana, buying land in Shelby county for ten dollars per acre. It was heavily
covered with timber, and to the clearing of the hnd and the improvement of
the farm Mr. Caress applied his energies and in the course of time had ac-
(iuired a comfortaljle and valua!)le home. Thi.^ place he subsequently sold
and went to Washington county, Indiana, locating about two miles from
Salem, where he and his wife died. They reared a large family, and among
their children was I'eter, father of the subject of this sketch. Peter Caress
was reared on the Washington county farm, receiving but a common school
education, but he was a man of splendid character and industrious habits
and was successful in his affairs. He was a member of the Baptist church
and a Democrat in political faith. To him and his wife were born eight
children, of whom three are now living: James M., the subject of this sketch;
Xancy, who is unmarried and living at Leesville Indiana, and Simon P., a
preacher in Lincoln, Nebraska.
James M. Caress received his education first in the common schools,
later attending Mays Academy at Salem, and also studied at Lebanon, Ohio,
where he prepared himself for the pedagogical profession. During the fol-
lowing thirty years he was continuously and successfully engaged in educa-
tional work and ])ecame president or principal of the high school at Seymour,
Indiana, later ])ecoming county superintendent of schools of Washington
county, in which position he rendered efficient -ervice for four years. He
gained a splendid reputation and a high standing among the educators of
southern Indiana and was in demand where a high standard of educational
excellence was required. From his marriage in 1875 up to 1879, Mr. Caress
lived in Salem, but in the latter year he came to Bedford and became a drug
clerk for his father-in-law. Dr. Ben Newlands. until 1881. He then went
to Seymour, where he served as principal of the schools, but in 1889 returned
to Bedford and until 1893 served as city engineer. He has done much civil
engineering and land surveying through this section of the state and is con-
sidered one of the most competent and best qualified men in his line. Per-
742 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
soiiallv, he is a man i)t tine character and marked social quahties, so that he
has gained for himself a large ac(|uaintance and many warm personal friends
in this locality.
On Xovember ii, 1875, Mr. Caress married Laura Newlands, the
daughter of Dr. Ben Xewlands, who is referred to specifically elsewhere in
this work. To this union ha\c heen liorn two children, James N., who is a
blacksmith at Bedford, married Grace McFadden, who is now deceased;
Mary Edith, who became the wife of Harry E. Mason, and her death occurred
on August 24, igo8, leaving two daughters, ^Margaret and Laura, who are
now making their home with the subject and his wife.
Politically, Mr. Caress is a staunch advocate of Democratic policies and
has given that part\- his sup])ort. Religiously, he and his wife are members
of the Presbyterian church, of which they are regular attendants and to which
they contribute of their means. Thev move in the best social circles of the
city and are well liked l)v all who know them.
EZRA W. EDWARDS.
Specific mention is made of many of the worthy citizens of Lawrence
county within the pages of this book, citizens who have figured in the growth
and development of this favored locality and whose interests are identified
with its every phase of progress, each contributing in his sphere of action to
the well-being of the community in which he resides and to the advancement
of its moral and legitimate growth. Among this number is he whose name
appears above, peculiar interest attaching to his career from the fact that his
entire life has been spent within the borders of this county.
Ezra W. Edwards, the present efificient and popular auditor of Lawrence
county, Indiana, was born at Mitchell, this county, on August 16, 1869, and
is the son of Allen and Sarah (Kelly) Edwards, both of whom also were
natives of Lawrence county. The father was for a number of years success-
fully engaged in agricultural pursuits, but eventually became a 'manufacturer
of handles and hubs at Mitchell, where be was numbered among the enter-
prising business men of the community. His death occurred in 1909, and he
is survived by his widow, who lives at Mitchell. Allen Edwards rendered
efficient service as a meml>er of the board of county commissioners, having
been appointed to fill a vacancy, and he also served several terms as trustee
of the town of Mitchell. He was a member of the Baptist church and a man
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES^ INDIANA. 743'
of Sterling' character who enjoyed the sincere regard of all who knew him.
To him and his wife was born one child, the subject of this sketch.
Ezra W. Edwards received his education in the Mitchell public schools
and, entering upon the active duties of life, was appointed deputy postmaster
of Mitchell and subsequently filled the same office at Bedford, a total period
of about six and one-half years. He then entered the employ of John A.
Gunn, and later entered the store of John W. Hay, of Bedford, where he
remained about fifteen years, rendering efficient and satisfactory service to
his employers. Mr. Edwards" ability and faithfulness in the discharge of his
duties were recognized by his fellow citizens and in igio he was nominated
on the Republican ticket for the office of county auditor, to which he was
elected in the ensuing election, taking his office on January i, tqit, for a four-
year term. He is a man of marked business aliility and conscientious in the
discharge of his public duties, and he has gained a splendid reputation among
those competent to judge as to his merits.
On November 23. 1897, yir. Edwards was married to Retta Lake, the
daughter of William B. Lake, of Bedford, and they have three sons: Ro-
land, John and Hoyt. A man of genial disposition and easily a]:)proached,
Mr. Edwards enjoys a large acquaintance among whom are many warm
personal friends.
WILLIAM T. ALLLX.
Among the citizens of Alonroe counlv who lia\e liuilt u]) a ci.imfortable
liome antl surrdiuukxl themselxcs with large landefl and personal property,
none has attained a higher <k'grce of success tlian the sulijcct of this sketch.
With few opportunities except wliat his own efforts were capable of master-
ing and with many discouragements t(^ overcome, he has made an exceptional
success (jf life, and in liis old age has the gratification of knowing that the
commuiut\- in which he has resided has been benefited liy his presence and
his counsel.
W. J. Allen, who is now fixing retired in his C(_imfortal)le and attractive
home in Bloomington. was l>orn on Se])teml)er ,'^. 1S36, in Putnam county,
Indiana, though he can almost claim to ije a lifelong resident of [Monroe
county, for he came here at the age of three months. His parents were
John \V. and Lannie C. (Clark) Allen, both of ^^ hom were natives of Ken-
tucky, but who moved to Putnam county, Indiana, in 1832. and to Bloom-
ington, Monroe county, in 1836. The father was a farmer during his active
744 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
years and tlic latter part of liis life was spent on the farm which the subject
of this sketch now owns. The father died on September 8, 1852, and the
mother in 1848.
W. J. Allen secured his educaticjn in the common schools of this county
and also took a college preparatory course for the freshman year. In 1854,
lured by the wonderful stories of the great Pacific Eldorado, Mr. Allen went
to California, crossing the plains and enduring many hardships- and priva-
tions on the way. During the trip he helped to drive cattle and after arriving
in California was employed for a while as a common laborer on the road,
but eventually became an active worker in the mines. He remained in Cali-
fornia until .March 10, 1857, and during the last year of his stay there he
engaged in farming until the outbreak of the war of the Rebelhon, when he
enlisted in the three-months service as a member of Company A. Fifty-fourth
Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he was connected as first
lieutenant. Upon the expiration of his first period of enlistment Mr. Allen
joined the Twentieth Indiana Light Artillery, with the rank of sergeant.
Later he was promoted to orderly sergeant, and still later to lieutenant and
was in command of part of the battery at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee.
He participated in many of the hotly contested battles of that great struggle,
besides many skirmishes and long and tiresome marches, and rendered faith-
ful and valiant services to his country until they were no longer needed, re-
ceiving an honorable discharge on June 28, 1865. Returning to peaceful
pursuits, Mr. Allen engaged in the hardware business in Bloomington and
for forty years he was prominent as one of the leading merchants of this
city. Possessing good business ability and staunch integrity of character,
he was recognized as a man of inflexible honesty and at all times he enjoyed
the sincere confidence of ail who knew him. He is the owner of one hun-
dred and twenty acres of fine land and has sold three additions to the city of
Bloomington. most of the land he owns l)eing now in the city limits. His
own home is located at Xo. 402 Xorth College avenue, besides which he
owns eight splendid store buildings located on the public square and com-
prising a hardware store, the Bloomington National Bank building, grocery
story, ladies' wear store, clothing store, two shoe stores and a meat market,
and he also owns stock in the two lianks. He has thus been and is still an
important factor in the Inisiness life of Bloomington and has done as much
as any other one man to ad\ance the interests of the city and conserve its
progress and upbuilding.
In November, 1857, Mr. Allen was married to Harriet L. Swearingen,
to which union were burn three children : Fannie, the wife of Wallace Palmer,
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNriES, INDIANA. 745
superintendent of schools at Ligonier, Indiana; Joseph, a wool buyer of
Bloomington. and John, deceased, the latter being the first born. The sub-
ject's first wife died in 1865 and suliscquentlv he married Eliza J. Allen, to
wliich unitjn were l)()rn six children, namely: Ri_^'l)ert X., deceased; William
D., deceased; Arthur ("1., of Blodmington ; Onela, died February 23, 1913.
and three who died in infancw Mr. Allen has been the artificer of his own
fortune and in his eli(jrts he has l)een eminently successful and is entitled to
great credit for what he h:i> acc(jmidished. Though he is entitled to a pen-
sion of thirty dollars per month on account <jf his army record. Air. Allen
has never received a dollar from this source, ne\er having applied for pension.
Politically, Mr. .\llen is an ardent supporter of the Republican party,
but has never been an aspirant for ])ublic office of any nature. Religiously,
he is a member of the United I'res])yterian church, having a deep and con-
scientious regard for the spiritual \erities and gi\es to this society a liberal
support. Fraternally, he is a member of the (Irand .\rmy of the Republic
and the Loyal Legion, in which he keeps alive his old army associations, and
he is department inspector for Indiana of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Though past the Psalmist's allotted span of years, Mr. Allen still retains to
a remarkable extent his physical and mental yigor, takes a deep interest in
all the current affairs of the community and is numbered among the enter-
prising and progressiye men of this section of the .state. He has worked
hard and accomplishetl much and because of his past effort he is thoroughly
entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one in hand.
OLIN B. NORMAN, M. D.
The present age is essentially utilitarian and the life of every successful
man carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narrative, is productive of
much good in shaping the destiny of others. There is, therefore, a due
measure of satisfaction in presenting even in brief resume, the life and
achievements of such men, and in preparing the following history of the
scholarly physician whose name appears above, it is with the hope that it may
prove not only interesting and instructive, but also serve as an incenti\'e to
those who contemplate making the medical profession their life work.
Olin B. Norman was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, on October 9,
1881, the son of G. M. and Susan (Bonham) Norman, the former a native
of Monroe county and the latter of Lawrence county. G. M. Norman, who
746 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
is a successful merchant in Heltonville, Lawrence county, is a man of high
character and enterprising spirit and is numbered among the progressive
citizens of his community. These parents have two children, the subject of
this sketch and Mrs. O. L. Roberts, of Mitchell.
Olin Norman attended the common schools of Bedford, graduating
from the high school in 1889. and then became a student at Indiana State
University, where he was graduated in 1906, with the degree of Bachelor of
Arts. Following this he matriculated in the medical department of Western
Reserve College at Cleveland. Ohio, where he graduated in 1909 with the
degree of Doctor of Medicine. He was then interne in the City Hospital of
Cleveland until July, 19 10, when he came to Bedford and engaged in the
active practice of his profession, in which he has already met with pro-
nounced success. The Doctor keeps in close touch with the latest advance-
ment in medical science and possesses a large and well selected lilirary of
professional literature. He is a member of the Lawrence County [Medical
Society, the Indiana State ^Medical Society and the American Medical Asso-
ciation, and is also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon college fraternity.
In February. 19 12, Doctor Norman was united in the holy bonds of
wedlock with Grace Cromer, of Anderson, Indiana, whose father, M. L.
Cromer, was deputy postmaster at tliat place. Doctor Norman is a member
of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Flks and of the Free and Accepted
Masons, taking an intelligent interest in the workings of both of these so-
cieties. He is not an as]iirant for public honors in anv sense, but as city
school medical inspector he is rendering most valuable service to the com-
munity. Personally, the Duclor is a good mixer, genial, genteel and well in-
formed on all current tojiics. and a man in whom tlie utmost confidence is
reiiosed li\- those who know him l)est.
HARRiSOX ROLAXD BARROW.
While success canncjt he achiex'cd without unflagging industry, the futil-
ity of effort is often nuticeal)le in the business world and results from the
lad th;it it is not combined with sound judgment.- Alanv a man >vho gives
liis entire life to toil, earnest and unremitting, ne\-er acquires a competence,
but when his labor is well directed, prosperity always follows. Mr. Barrow
is one whose work has been supi)lemented by careful management and today
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 747
he is numbered among the successful business men of the locality in which he
lives.
Harrison Roland Barrow, who has met with splendid success and earned
an enviable reputation as a funeral director, was born Noveml)er 22, 1855,
at Ringtown, Pennsylvania, and is the son of Roland and Alarv (Helwig)
Barrow, both of whom also were natives of Ringtown, Pennsybania. where
the father was a leather merchant and also an undertaker. He is still living
there and is actively engaged in his vocation. He has for many vears been
prc^ninent in the community and for eight years ser\-ed as township tax col-
lector. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the Republican ]iartv, while,
fraternally, he is a member of the Indepenflent Order of Odd Fellows, the
Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America.
To him and his wife were born ten children, namely: Philip, Sadie, Frank.
^^^lliam, ]\ramie, Harrison R., Clarence, Emilv, Bertha and Samuel.
Harrison R. Barrow received his elementary education in the public
schools of Ringtown, graduating from the high school and then became a
student in the State Normal School at Bloomsliurg, Pennsybania, where
he graduated in 1909. He then became a student in the Cincinnati College
of Embalming, where he graduated in 191 1, and in the same year came to
Bloomington, Indiana, and engaged in the undertaking business, which still
commands his attention. He understands every phase of his business, being
an especially, competent embalmer. and because of his painstaking attention
to the important duties incumbent upon him in his profession and his innate
courtesv in all his associations with his patrons he has earned a warm |)lace
in the esteem of those A\ho know him.
On March 25, 191 1. l\Ir. T^>arro\v was married to llessie Palmer, the
daughter of S\l\anus and Eliza (Kennedy) Palmer. Mr. Palmer was a
native of the state of Kentucky and a blacksmith by trade, and he e\entually
became a steel expert in the employ of the National Cash Register Company,
at Dayton. Ohio, which position he occupied at the time of his death. He
was a meml^er of Companv K. Twenty-sixth Indiana X'olunteer Infantry-
during tlie Ci\il war, having enlisted as a pri\ate. but later was appointed
chief nuisician, in which capacity he ser\ed until the close of tlie war, when
he received an honorable discharge. To Mr. and Mrs. Barrow has lieen born
one child, George.
Politically, the suliject of this sketch is a stanch Democrat, while his
religious meml^ership is with the Methodist Episcopal church, a society in
which he is earnestlv interested. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevo-
748 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
lent and Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America, Im-
proved Order of l\ed Afen, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Woodmen of
tlie World, all in lilooniington. A man of splendid (lualities. Mr.Barrow has,
because of his genuine worth, enjoyed the respect and confidence of the people
of his community and, though a resident here but a comparatively short time,
is already numbered among the city's leading and representative men.
OSCAR E. BELL.
Practical industry, wisely and vigorously applied, never fails of success.
It carries a man onward and upward, brings out his individual character and
acts as a powerful stimulus to the efforts of others. The greatest results in life
are often attained by simple means and the exercise of the ordinary qualities
of common sense and perseverance. The every-day life, with its cares,
necessities and duties, affords ample opportunities for acquiring experience of
the best kind and its most beaten paths provide a true worker with abundant
scope for effort and improvement. This fact was recognized early in life by
Oscar E. Bell, one of the enterprising and progressive business men of
Bloomington. Mr. Bell was born on March 26, 1872, and is the son of
James K. and Mollie (Overton) Bell. The father, who was a native of
Clark county, Indiana, is a farmer and is still actively following the voca-
tion to which he has devoted his life. His wife is a native of Washington
county, this state. They have become the parents of ten children, namely:
Oscar E., Charles, Manford. Theodore, Jesse. Willard. William, deceased;
Tina, James and Ralph.
The subject of this sketch .secured his education in the common schools
of Clark county, Indiana, and was variously engaged until coming to Bloom-
ington and interesting himself in the business, which now commands his
time and attention as a partner with Cornelius McKinley under the firm
name of \W\\ ^ McKinley. cleaners, pressers and dyers. They have built up a
large business, commanding the major portion of the local patronage in their
line and are numbered among Bloomington's most successful business men.
Their work is first class and they are well equipped with every thing necessary
to the best quality of workmanship and because of their earnest efforts to
please their patrons they have met with a very fair degree of success.
On December 22, 1905, Mr. Bell married Delia, daughter of Thomas and
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 749
Rose Anne (McGill) McKinley. The father, who was a native of Ireland,
came to the state of Indiana in an early day and here followed farming and
fruit raising, in which he was fairly successful. He is now deceased. His
wife, who was a native of Indiana, survives. To Mr. and Mrs. Bell have
been born two children, Mary Rose and Alberta.
Politically, Mr. Bell gives an earnest support to the Democratic party,
in the success of which he is deeply interested, though he is not in any sense
a seeker after public office. Religiously, he is a member of the Church of
Christ, to the support of which he contributes of his means. Mr. Bell eniovs
to a marked degree the esteem of his neighbors and friends and is a true tvpe
of the enterprising, representative citizen, an intelligent, high-minded, court-
eous gentleman whom to know is to esteem and honor.
FRED W. FENNEMAN.
The record of Mr. Fenneman is that of a man who has worked his way
from a modest beginning up to a position of considerable prominence by his
efforts, which have been practically unaided, which fact renders him the
more worthy of the praise that is freely accorded him by his fellow men. His
life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the notably sys-
tematic and honorable methods he has followed have won for him the un-
bounded confidence and regard of all who have formed his acquaintance and
in looking over the list of Monroe county's business men who have been suc-
cessful in their line of work, especially those whose place of residence is
Bloomington, none are deemed more worthy of representation in a work of
this nature than the gentleman whose name appears above.
Fred W. Fenneman was born on October ii, 1880, in the city of Indi-
anapolis, Indiana, and is the son of George W. and Fredrika (Drover) Fenne-
man. The father, who was a native of the state of Ohio, moved to Indi-
anapolis with his parents when about eight years old. Upon attaining mature
years he became a contractor and builder, in which he was fairly successful
and in which he remained actively engaged up to the time of his death. His
wife was a native of Indiana. They were the parents of five children. Ed-
ward W.. William H.. Laura, Henry H.. and Fred, the immediate subject
of this sketch.
Fred W. Fenneman attended the public schools of Marion county. Indi-
750 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ana, and received the benefit of a half term in the Indianapolis high school.
At the age of thirteen years he started to learn the plumbing trade and has
been closely identified with this indnstiw from that time to the present. He
was for quite a time engaged in business on his own account in Indianapolis
under the firm name of Fenneman Brothers, but in 1905 he came to Bloom-
ington, established himself in the sanitary plumbing and steam heating busi-
ness, in which lie has met with most pronounced success. Throughly ciuali-
fied by experience and training for his special line of work, he has kept thor-
oughly informed as to the latest advances in methods and means in his line
and many of the best heating plants in this section of the state have been in-
stalled by him to the entire satisfaction of the owner. As an evidence of the
character of the work installed by Mr. Fenneman, we quote the following ex-
tract from the Indiana Master Flninhcr, a trade magazine, under date of
September i, 1913: "One of the largest contracts for vacuum cleaners ever
closed in this state by a master plumber was sold by Air. Fred W. Fenneman,
of this city (Bloomington). The contract was for a complete vacuum clean-
ing equipment for the Indiana University, and the installing consisted of four
Arco Wands, No. 462, manufactured by the .\merican Radiator Company,
and three Invincible machines manufactured by the United States Radiator
Company, and two portable machines manufactured bv the same company.
Mr. Fenneman has also closed the contract for a three-sweeper machine for
the high school building.'' Mr. Fenneman's shop is thoroughly equipped
with the most up-to-date machinery and he employs none but expert workmen,
so that his contracts are fulfilled to the entire approval of his patrons.
On June 5, 1907, Fred W. Fenneman was married to Xolia Wright,
daughter of Calvin and Addie ( Sellers') \A'right. George Wright, who is a
native of Indianapolis, Indiana, was for a long time owner of a one-third
interest in the Brunson-Wright Hardware Company (wholesale and retail),
and is now a local dealer for the Rock Island Plow Company at Indianapolis,
being still actively engaged in this pursuit. His wife was born on a farm
near Plainfield, Indiana, and is still living. Mrs. Fenneman died on January
TO, 1911.
Fraternally, Mr. Fenneman is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees
at Bloomington, while, politically, he assumes an independent attitude, voting
for the men who in his opinion are best calculated to serve the highest interest
of the people. Religiously, he is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal
church, to which he contributes liberally of his means. He is a member of
the state and national plumbers' associations and takes an intelligent interest
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 75 1
in the proceedings of these bodies. His well directed efforts have gained for
him a position of prominence in the business circles of Bloomington and his
energy, enterprise and industry have been crowned with well deserved suc-
cess. Personally, he is a pleasant man to meet, and has scores of friends in
Bloomington as a result of his upright life, sterling integrity, sound business
judgment and methods and his genial disposition.
EDWIN CORR.
The most elaborate history is perforce a merciless abridgement, the
historian being obliged to select his facts and materials from manifold details.
This applies to specific as well as generic history, and in the former category
is included the interesting and important department of biography. In ever^
life of honor and usefulness there is no dearth of interesting situations and
incidents, and yet in summing up such a career the writer must needs touch
only on the more salient facts, giving the keynote of the character and elimi-
nating all that is superfluous to the continuity of the narrative. The subject
of this sketch has led an active and eminently useful life, not entirely devoid
of the exciting, but the more prominent facts have been so identified with the
useful and practical that it is to them almost entirely that the writer refers
in the following lines.
Edwin Corr, who was born in Alonroe county. Indiana, on December 31,
i860, is the son of Charles G. and Alary J. (Canine) Corr. Charles G. Corr,
who also was a native of Monroe county, was a man of considerable promi-
nence in the community during his active life, having been a successful farmer
and for many years postmaster at Bryant's Creek, where he also served
efficiently as township trustee. He had received a good common school edu-
cation in his native county, and after an eminently active and successful life
he retired during his later years. He is now deceased. The subject's mother
was a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, and in 1850 came to Monroe
county on horseback, the family being numbered among the prominent and
well known residents of this county. She also is deceased. To Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Corr were born nine children, namely: One who died before being
named; Frank, John and Cornelius, all of whom died in infancy: Isaac N..
Edwin, Henry W., Ella M. and Lillian May. The subject's paternal grand-
father w^as a native of Ireland who came to this country and in 1818 settled
in Monroe county, being numbered among the earlier residents of this section.
752 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Two years after locating here he moved ten miles north, where he spent his
remaining years. Charles G. devoted his efforts to farming, in which he was
successful. He was also identified with educational matters and in the early
days taught school some in Monroe county. He was a veteran of the Mexican
war, having gone with a company from Monroe county in 1848, and rendered
valiant service for his adopted country. Politically, he was a Democrat and
took an intelligent interest in public affairs.
The subject of this sketch received his elementary education in the public
schools of Monroe county and then became a student in the State University
at Bloomington for four years, graduating in 1883. He then entered the law
department of Depauw University at Greencastle, where he was graduated in
1885. During the fall of that year and the spring of 1886 he engaged in
teaching school in Greene county, Indiana, but in the spring of the latter year
he entered upon the active practice of his profession at Bloomington, in which
he has since been continuously engaged and in which he has met with a large
and well deserved measure of success. Well adapted for his professional
work by natural ability and educational training, he has devoted himself
assiduously to the work before him and is numbered today among the leading
members of the Monroe county bar, his success being the legitimate result of
his untiring efforts and consecration to his professional work. Mr. Corr
ser\ed one term as deputy prosecuting attorney, two years as county attorney
and one term as assistant United States attorney, discharging the duties of
all of these positions to the entire satisfaction of all concerned, and later
received the appointment as deputy attorney-general of the state of Indiana,
in which he is now serving his second term. He has demonstrated ability of a
high order and is indefatigable in the discharge of any work before him, no
matter how difficult or onerous and he has gained the unqualified confidence
not only of the public generally, but of his professional brethren. Mr. Corr
has given his life-long support to the Democratic party and has been active
in public affairs for many years. He was elected to the State Senate and
served one term of two sessions and also was a member of the lower house
of the Legislature for one term, winning for himself during each term the
commendation of his constituents. Since 1891 Mr. Corr has been a member
of the board of trustees of Indiana State University, in which position he has
rendered valuable service to the institution and to the cause of education
generally. He is a member of the college fraternity, Sigma Chi, with which
he has been identified for over thirty years, having joined the fraternity at
Indiana University.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 753
On December 31, 1895. Mr. Corr was united in marriage to Kate Mobley.
the daughter of Charles and Nancy (Shields) Mobley, the father a native of
Monroe county, where for many years he was a successful and well known
merchant, being retired during the latter part of his life. He is now deceased.
To Mr. and Mrs. Corr have been born two children. Edwin G. and Mary L.
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Corr are faithful and earnest members of the
Christian church, to which they give liberal support, and Mr. Corr is found
in hearty accord with all movements which have for their object the advance-
ment of the educational, moral, social or material welfare of the community.
A man of large experience, sound judgment and sagacity, he is a keen observer
of public events, on which he holds decided convictions, and is a man of
positive character and sterling worth, his value to the community being evi-
denced by the high position which he has ever held in the esteem of his fellow
citizens.
GEORGE D. THORNTON. ' " "■.
George D. Thornton, real estate and insurance man of Bloomington,
Indiana, is a Hoosier by birth and may justly bear the title of "self-made
man," having worked his way unaided from the humble ranks of the toilers,
through the vicissitudes and adversities of life, to an admirable and influential
position among the business men of Monroe county. The success attained
by him in his business affairs has been greatly owing to his steady persistence,
stern integrity and excellent judgment, qualities w^hich have also won for him
the confidence and esteem of the public to a marked degree.
George B. Thornton was born on West Seventh street, Bloomington,
Indiana, on February 18, 1863, and is the son of James A. and Nancy J.
(Mercer) Thornton. The father, who was born at Georgetown, Kentuckv,
was a buggy and wagon maker, having learned this trade at Independence,
Missouri. In 1840 he came to Indiana. His wife and family had come to
this locality in 18 18 from Shelby county, Kentucky, and here the subject's
parents spent the balance of their lives, the father dying in 1904. at the ad-
vanced age of eighty-two years. To him and his wife were born seven chil-
dren, namely: Felix G., of Clay county, Indiana; [imcy A., deceased; Will-
iam A., of Terre Haute, Indiana ; Joseph A., of Bloomington ; Margaret, who
became the wife of Henry Munson, of Bloomington ; George, the immediate
subject of this sketch ; and Carrie, deceased. The subject's father was a
'(48)
754 I.AWREA'CE AND MOXROE CdUXTIES. INDIANA.
Repuljlican in his ijolitical \ie\vs and hclil staunchly to his ccmxictions on
puljhc ijufstions, although never a seeker after public office.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools,
being a graduate of the Bloomington high school, and upon taking up active
life on his own account he became an employee in Showers Brothers furniture
factory, where he was promoted to the position of foreman of the department
in which he worked, which position he held for thirteen years. He then be-
came deputy county clerk under John T, ^\'oodward, and in 1896 was elected
sheriff of AJcinme count\-, serving two years to the eminent satisfaction of his
fellow ciitzens. At the expiration of his otiicial term Air. Thornton opened his
present business, that of insurance and real estate, in which he has met with
the most ])ronounced success. His partner, Mr. Huntington, is also well C|uali-
fied for business and together they make one of the strongest business firms in
Bloomington. They handle all lines of insurance, life, fire and tornado, and
also engage extensively in the loan business, in which they have met with
splendid success, besides which they handle Indian lands and attend to abstract
business when called upon to do so. In e\ery phase of their business affairs
thev have met with good success and ha\ e achie\ed a splendid record among
their business associates. Air. Thornton is also general manager and vice-
president of the United Indiana Stone Company, a three-hundred-thousand-
dollar corporation, which is really the consolidation of a number of smaller
companies, some of which Air. Thorntcju was connected with prior to the
organization of the United Indiana Stone Company. As a side issue and
recreation. Air. Thornton gives his attention to the cultivation of two hun-
dred and four acres of splendid land which he owns in this county and which
he has feund a profitable source of income, as well as a pleasure in its
operation.
In 1886 Air. Thornton was married to Nancy V. AA'illiams, of Stinesville,
Monroe county, the daughter of James S. and Louisa J. ( Ashbaugh ) \\'ill-
iams, the father a stone and quarry operator.
Fraternally, Air. Thornton is a member of the Free and Accepted
Masons, the Knights (_>f l^-thias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, while, religiously, he is a memlier of the Alethodist church, while his
wife belongs to the Christian church. Folitically, he is an ardent advocate
of the Republican doctrine and gives his support to this party at the polls.
Possessing splendid executive and business ability. Air. Thornton has been
successful in a material wav and because of his sterling qualities he is num-
bered among the representative men of the c(-immunity in wliich lie lives.
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES. INDIANA. 755
JOSEPH STRAIX.
Jiise])li Strain, one (if the pioneers i.t ?\[(inr<>e cmintx. w.is Imm in the
north i)f Ireland in 1784. and wlien ah<]nt se\en Acars nf ai;e. with hi^ parents,
he emigrated to America, settHng in Penn"s \'allev, i 'enns\ 1\ ani;i. After
h'ving there several years, he moxed tu ( )hin, where he was married to Klnor
Martin, whose parents also came f n mi the nortli of Ireland. A few \ears
after their marriage the yonng conple decided thev cnild hetter their condi-
tion by moving west. He left his family and journeyed t<> Indiana, where he
entered land in Clear Creek town.ship. ]\Ionroe countv. Tanuarv 15. 1S17.
This land and the patent for the same, signed by James Monroe, still remains
in the family. Joseph returned to Ohio and later moved with liis family to
Indiana, settling on a piece of land he bought in Indian Creek township, near
the old Hebron church, where they li\-ed during the first winter, and then
moved to a tract of land he bought of James Borland about three miles south-
west of P.loomington. This tract he later traded to Jackson Cookerley for
a tract in the southwest part of Clear Creek townshi]j. He also traded his
Hebron land for a farm in Clear Creek township, joining the land he had
entered in 1817. Here he moved, and here a large familw consisting of
eight boys and three girls, grew to manhood and womanhooil. The sons
helped the father to clear the land and raise the cro|)s. while the daughters
did the carding, spinning and weaving and the wirious other duties of a
pioneer home. The father was an industrious and an enterprising man. He
saw the need of a mill in the community and built a combination saw and grist
mill, the saw l)eing what was termed an up-and-down saw. Here people
came for miles to have logs made into lumber and their corn and wheat turned
into flour and meal. In these earlv days it was difficult to dispose of surplus
products of the farm, such as |)ork. lard and v.heat. sd Joseph, as did many
other enterprising men of the southern part of the county, built flat boats at
the boat yard on Clear creek, north of Harrodsburg. near the Bloomington
and Bedford road. They built the boat and, when the rains came to swell the
streams to proportions sufficient to carry the vessel, they loaded it with the
goods pre\dously stored in a building near at hand and then llnated with the
current to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they <lispr>sed of their cargo and
returned home, part of the way by boat and iiart w-a_\- on foot. These were
long and dangerous voyages, yet they were made numbers of times by the
pioneers of the southern part of tlie count}-. It may not be \ery generalh'
known, yet it is true, that one boat at least was built and launchetl on Clear
creek, this county, that not only made the \'0}'age to New Orleans, but to
756 LAWRENCE AXD MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Havana, Cuba. The grandfather of the wife of the writer of this sketch,
Uncle Robert Taylor, as he was famiharly called, built and loaded a boat and
when he reached New Orleans the market was such that he could not dispose
of his produce to an advantage. He hired a tug boat to tow his vessel to
Havana, where he exchanged his cargo for coffee and returned to New
Orleans, where he disposed of his coffee and returned home. This may per-
haps seem strange and appear unreasonable, but his papers, or passports as
they are termed, permitting him to enter and leave the port of Havana, are
still in the hands of a member of the family. Before the old New Albany &
Salem railroad was built the company asked that the people of each county,
through which it was built, subscribe one hundred thousand dollars for stock.
The solicitor, Thomas Carter, approached Joseph to sell him stock, to be
paid for in work. As he was getting old, he did not care to take any himself,
but if two of the boys, James and John, who were about grown, cared to
take one thousand dollars each, he would see them through with it. They
took out one thousand dollars each, for which they graded one mile, begin-
ning about one mile north of Harrodsburg, and then took out two thousand
dollars between them, for which they cut and placed the ties on three miles of
the grade. In the final settlement, they, as did many others, found their
stock worthless. Joseph Strain and his wife Elnor were devout Presbyterians
and brought up their sons and daughters in that faith. In his will he gave
a tract of land upon which to build a church, but as Harrodsburg was then
getting to be quite a village and a trading center, the members decided it
would be better for all concerned to build the church in or near the town,
rather than a mile away, which was done. Up to about 1895 this was a strong
church. Several noted men have been pastors of the congregation that wor-
shiped here, but now, like many villages and country churches, it seems to be
on the decline. Joseph Strain's sons were all substantial farmers of this and
other states, his daughters married farmers and they all have done their part
in the building up of the community in which they lived. His grandsons and
granddaughters are many and live in many states and are engaged in many
professions and occupations.
WILLIAM B. HARRIS.
A review of the life of the suliject of this sketch must of necessity be
brief and general in its character. Tu enter fully into the interesting details
of the career of William B. Harris, touching the struggles of his early man-
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDEANA. 757
hood and the successes of his later years, would far trausceud the limits of
this article. He has filled a large place in the ranks of the ])ublic-spirited
citizens and successful newspaper men of his day, and that he has done his
part well cannot be gainsaid, for his record has been such as has gained for
him the commendation and approval of his fellows. His career has been a
long, busy and useful one and he has contributed much to the material, civic
and moral advancement of the community, while his admirable qualities of
head and heart and the straightforward, upright course of his daily life has
won for him the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he has moved.
The Harris family has long been established in this community, and its
members have borne an honorable part in its history, including the pioneer
struggles and the subsequent development and growth of the various com-
munities with which they have been identified. About the year 1740 George
Harris arrived in Virginia from Scotland. He had two sons, Richard and
William. Richard remained single and became a large land and slave owner.
In the vear 1770, William, at the age of twenty-three, in company with
Robert Overstreet and family, went to what is now Lexington, Kentucky.
They built a small fort as a protection from the Indians, in which thev lived.
Shortly after taking up this residence AA^illiam Harris and Jane Overstreet,
daughter of Robert Overstreet, were married. A small tract of land was
cleared, and for two or three years the families battled for life against the
Indians and struggled for food and clothing. Then they moved twelve miles
south of Lexington to a point known as the "Pocket," formed by the circular
course of the Kentucky river in Jessamine county.
To William and Jane Harris the following children were born: Lewis,
James, John, Rice, Thomas, Betsy, Jennie, Sealy, Sarah, Nancy and Susan.
Besides being a thrifty farmer, \\'illiam Harris was a pioneer preacher and
held religious services in the cabins of the country. He was past ninety years
of age when gathered to his fathers. Excepting Thomas, all the members
of this family remained in Kentucky.
Thomas, fifth son of William and Jane Harris, was 1)orn in 1797. At
about the age of twenty-one, Thomas was married to Elizabeth AlcCarley,
daughter of Moses McCarley, whose wife was a Boyd. In the year 1829
Thomas Harris and wife, with their children, James I\I., William J., Samuel
1-j., Thomas Jefferson and Oliver A., came to ]\Iom-oe county, Indiana. After
a short residence at Clear Creek, the family moved to Owen county, settling
in a dense forest, camping until a cabin could be erected. With a small
amount of monev, a few skillets and pots, sufficient bedding and clothing, the
y-8 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
trusty Mint lock, a Methodist hymn book and a well-worn Bible, and courage
without bounds, the work of clearing a farm began. To add spice and life to
the prin]itive home, in due season a daughter, Elizabeth, and another son, Rice
C, were born. The second year of this pioneer home gave evidence of thrift
and comfort. With a family of rugged boys, a few acres had been cleared,
and in 1832 one hundred bushels of corn was shelled by mauls in a trough
dug in a large poplar log, and carried on horseback to Mt. Tabor, to be taken
bv flat-boat to Xew Orleans, by Hezekiah W'ampler. of Gosport, the flat-boat
king of those days. For this one hundred bushels of corn the munificent
sum of eight dollars and thirty-three cents was received-. During these years
the head of this family did not handle to exceed fifty dollars actual cash in a
year, but with squirrels so plentiful and tame they had to be driven out of the
corn field with clubs, and wild turkeys and all kinds of game in abundance,
with the \-irgin soil so graciously responding in the production of vegetables,
the food problem was easily solved. The father was a shoe-maker and har-
ness-maker bv trade, and the motlier knew all about converting hemp into
clothing — with willing hands and lo\ing hearts abundance of raiment wa's
provided. As the bovs grew and other families entered the neighborhood, a
road was shrulibed and built to ^It. Tabor, and the products of the enlarged
farm were hauled to this market center in the typical scoop-bed Kentucky
wagon. Guided l)v pious. Christian parents, whose lives were centered in
the service of the blaster and the simple cimiforts of the family, at the very
fountain of nature, with only the simple needs to l)e supplied, stripped of all
the social deceits and allurements it was easy to develop a family of boys
and girls with that sternness of character and faithfulness to duty required of
the pioneer. These environs had their willing echo in this family of five
boys and one girl, who l)ore well their part in the development of our county.
Thev ha\'e all passed to their reward,
James M. Harris studied medicine and was the first practicing physician
in Ellettsville. He was trusted and well respected here for more than fifty
years.
Rice C. Harris graduated in medicine at Ann .\rbor, Michigan, and for
many years was one of the leading physicians of Abmroe county.
Samuel B. Harris for more than iift\' vears was prominentlv identified
with the mercantile, factory and milling interests of tlie town and county.
William R. Harris is the <nn of Samuel P>. and F.ndemile (Chambers)
Harris, and was born at Ellettsville, Indiana. ]\Iarch Ti, iStO. He secured his
education in the common schools and in December, 1872, at the age of sixteen
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 759
years, he entered the office of the EHcfts-z'iHe Republican, owned bv his father
and in charge of John F. W'aU^er. the pioneer printer of ^hmroe CDUnty.
Within a few months Mr. Harris took charge of the office and continuously
since then has pubhshed a weekly paper here, with the exception of one vear,
1876, when he estalilished and published the Bcc at Cloverdale. Indiana, and
two }-ears at Spencer. Indiana. 1879-1881, where he published the Ozccn
County People. Politically, he has always lieen a Republican.
During the years from 1890 to 1905 Mr. Harris establishetl and pub-
lished one hundred and thirty-five local newspapers throughout Indiana, Illi-
nois, Ohio and Kentucky. These papers were all printed at Fdletts\ille, Imt
occupied their respective local fields successfully, each lieing entered at its
postoffice as second class matter. Research at the postal department would
likely de\-elop the fact that during the years named he entered more pa|:)ers
for transmission through the mails than anv other man of his time.
In 1905 a company was incorporated at Ellettsville. with Mr. Harris
as managing editor, to publish a youth's magazine, Our Boy.\~ and Girls.
With characteristic initiative, a Shetland jiony was otTered each month as a
subscription premium, and several ponies were gi\-en awav. The pulilication
was absorbed in iqob by the Star Monthly, of Chicago. Mr. Harris now
publishes at Ellettsville The Farm., a local and agricultural weekly.
On ?ilarch 9. 1876, Mr. Harris was married to Allie P.ra.xtan. daughter
of Hiram and Elizabeth Braxtan. Of a family of nine children born tc) W.
B. Harris and wife, seven reached maturity as fol'mvs : Carl Ik, Edmund
P.., Henry J., Xellie Isabelle. ?\[ary Elizabeth, Frank B. and William B., Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Harris are devoted members of the Methoilist I{|)iscopal church.
CORXELIUS AlcKIXLEV.
In studying the interesting life histories of many of the better class of
men, and the ones of unquestioned merit and honor, it will be f(jund that they
have I)een compelled, ver_\- largel}'. to ma]) out their own careei's and furnish
their own native f(Trce in scaling the heights of success, and it is such a one
that the biographer is i)leased to write of in the f'lllowing paragrai)hs.
Cornelius ^^IcKinley. junior member of the firm (jf Bell & McKiuley.
cleaners and dvers, of Blo(.)mington. was l)oi"n on Xo\-ember 20. 1885. and is
the son of Thomas R. and Rose Anna ( Mc(iill) l\lcKinle\-. The father, who
is a native of Clark county, Indiana, has followed farming through his life
76o LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and is still actively engaged in that vocation. Politically, he is a strong
Repulilican. taking an active interest in public affairs, and, religiously, is a
member of the Church of Christ. He is now living near Borden, Indiana.
To him and his wife have been born thirteen children, namely: George,
Simon, Sylvanus, Lizzie, Willard, Delia, Cornelius, Nora, Jessie, Earl, Eva
and Bruce, and Everett, now deceased.
The subject of this sketch received a good, practical education in the
common schools of Clark county and was reared to the life of a farmer,
which vocation he followed until 1907, when he came to Blomington and
learned the cleaning and dying business. In 191 1 he became interested
financially in the business, buying an interest in the firm of Bell & Bell and
eventually the tirm name was changed to Bell & McKinley, the style under
which it is now operated. The plant is well equipped and the quality of
work turned out is such as to secure further patronage, so that the firm is
recognized as the leaders in their line in the community.
On October 14, 1910, Mr. McKinley was united in marriage to Stella
Sheets, the daughter of John R. and Anna (Miller) Sheets, who were natives
of Clark county, Indiana, where the father follows the vocation of a carpenter.
Politically, Mr. McKinley is a staunch advocate of the policies of the Pro-
gressive party and enthusiastically interested in the work and success of that
political organization. He is a man of splendid personal qualities and is
public spirited in his attitude toward all movenients for the advancement of
the best interests of the community. Because of his genuine worth he enjoys
the esteem of all who know him.
BURTON DORR MYERS, A. M., M. D.
The most elaborate history is necessarily an abridgment, the historian
being compelled to select his facts and materials from a multitude of details.
So in every life of honor and usefulness the biographer finds no dearth of
incident, and yet in summing up the career of any man it is necessary to touch
only the more salient points, eliminating much that is of interest. Conse-
quently in calling the reader's attention to the life record of Dr. Burton Dorr
M_\-ers nn attempt shall be made tn give other than a Iirief resume of selected
incidents.
Burton D. Myers, who for a number of years has been prominently
identified with the medical department of the Indiana State Universitv, is a
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 761
native son of the old Buckeye state, his birth having occurred at .Vttica, Ohio,
on the 30th of March, 1870. He is the son of John T. and EHza E. (Meyers)
Myers, both of whom also were natives of Ohio. The subject's paternal
grandfather, who was numbered among the early settlers of Ohio, was a
native of the republic of Switzerland. The subject received his elementary
education in the common schools, being graduated from the Attica high school
in 1889. He then became a student in Buchtel College, where he was gradu-
ated in 1893, with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. From that year
until 1897 he was superintendent of the high school at Greenwich, Ohio. He^
then became a graduate student and student of medicine in Cornell
University, where, in 1900, he received his iMaster's degree. During
the last two years of this latter period he was assistant in the department of
physiology in Cornell. Going then to Europe, he spent two years in the
University of Leipzig, where he completed his medical course, preparing his
graduating thesis under the eminent Professor His of the department of
anatomy, and receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1902. During
1902-3 he was assistant in the department of anatomy in Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity. In 1903 he came to Indiana University as head of the department
of anatomy and was active in the organization of the medical department,
of which he has served as secretary continuously. From 1903 to 1905 he
was associate professor of anatomy here, then fiir two years he was junior
professor, and in 1906 was made professor of anatomy, which position he
now holds. The Indiana University School of Medicine is officially recog-
nized as one of the twenty-two .\-plus medical schools in the United States,
many of its graduates having attained to high standing in their profession,
and much of the splendid success which has attended the school since its
organization, ten vears ago, has been due to the untiring and persistent efforts
of Doctor Myers, who has thrown into the work all the ardor and enthusiasm
of one who has had a thorough professional training and wide experience,
added to which is a devotion and attachment to his calling which give added
force to his labor and efforts. In addition to his creditable career in one of the
most exacting of professions. Doctor Myers has proved an honorable mem-
ber of the body politic, rising in the confidence and esteem of the public, and
in everv relation of life he has never fallen below the dignity of true man-
hood. Personally, he is genial and companionable and enjoys a marked
popularity among the student body, while among his colleagues he is held in
the highest regard.
On March 4. 1904, Doctor Myers was married to Maude A. Showers.
762 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the daughter of J. D. Showers, of Bloomington, who is referred to specifically
elsewhere in this work. To this union have been born three children, James
(deceased), Mary and Rudolf.
Politically, Doctor Myers has been a lifelong Democrat in national poli-
tics, while fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons.
His religious membership is with the Methodist Episcopal church.
MARSHALL GUTHRIE.
This biographical memoir has to do with a character of unusual force,
for Marshall Guthrie, whose life chapter has been closed by the fate that
awaits us all. was for man}- years one of the best known and most popular
citizens of Lawrence countv, Indiana, !ia\'ing come "from one of the oldest
and best-known ])ioneer families, and he himself assisted in many ways in
advancing the interests of the comnninity with which his life was identified.
While he carried on a special line of business in such a manner as to gain
a comfortable competency for himself, he also belonged to that class of repre-
sentative citizens who ];)romote the pulilic welfare while advancing individual
success. There were in him sterling traits which commanded uniform con-
fidence and regard, and his memory is today honored bv all who knew him
and is enshrined in the hearts of his manv friends.
Marshall Guthrie, who died at his home in Bedford, Indiana, on Decem-
ber 28, 1904, was a native of Lawrence county, Indiana, having been born
near Tunnelton, on the 9th day of July, 1840. He was the son of Daniel and
Lucy (\\'iddle) Guthrie, the latter being a nati\e of Jackson county, Indiana,
and the former born in Virginia. In his young manhood Daniel Guthrie ac-
companied his parents on their remo\al to Lawrence county, Indiana, of which
they were the first settlers, having located on what is now known as Guthrie
creek. There the father bought a tract of government land and gave his
attention to its improvement and cultivation. During his entire life he was
devoted to farming and stock raising, in which he was fairly successful. He
and his wife both died on the home farm near Tunnelton. To them were
born the following children: Alfred, who died in June, 1913, at his home at
Tunnelton, Indiana, is represented elsewhere in this work; ^Mitchell, 'deceased,
was also a farmer in this county; Hester became the wife of E. Lee and both
are deceased: John D.. deceased, was a farmer in this county, as was Hugh
1),. who is also deceased; Millie married Andrew I. Lee, and they are both
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA. 763
dead; Eri and Eli were twins and both enlisted for service in the Civil war;
Eli gave up his life while in the service, while Eri is now a resident of the
state of Kansas; Marshall is the immediate subject of this sketch.
Marshall Guthrie received his education in the common schools of his
home neighborhood and upon attaining maturity he and his brother, Alfred,
engaged in the mercantile business at Tunnelton. at which they were very suc-
cessful and which they carried on for many years. Marshall Gtithrie, in addi-
tion to his store, also acquired the ownership of a good deal of valuable farm-
ing land and during his latter years he gave his attention to the cultivation
of the soil and the breeding and raising of live stock. He possessed good
• business qualities, was an indefatigable worker and made money as the result
of his energetic efforts. In local public affairs he took a commendable inter-
est and rendered efficient service to his community as trustee of the town-
ship. He was a Republican in politics and was a prominent figure in the
local councils of his party. Fraternally, he was a member of the Free and
Accepted Masons, belonging to the blue lodge at Tunnelton, while religiously
he was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a regu-
lar attendant and to which he gave liberally of his means. A man of marked
social qualities, he easily made friends and numbered his acquaintances
throughout this section of the county, among whom he was held in high re-
spect. He was not selfish in his aims and ambitions, but gave his support to
eveiy movement which had for its object the advancement of the best interests
of the communit}-, his sujiport being counted upon whenever true men were
needed.
On Fel^ruarv 10. 1870, Marshall Guthrie was united m marriage to
yiary M. Pavne. who was liorn in Howard county. Indiana, the daughter of
William and Susan (Mitten) Payne, who were nati\es of Lawrence county,
this state. William Pa\-ne was a son of pioneers of Lawrence county, and in
1833 he and his familv moved to Howard county, this state, where they at-
tained timber land located about six miles north of Kokomo, to the clearing
and cultivation of which ]\[r. Payne gave his attention and was fairly sue-,
cessful in his material efforts. He died in 1854, being survived man\- years
by his widow, whose death occurred in September. 1910, at the ad\anced age
of eightv-four years. Mr. Payne always carriefl on farming as a means of
livelihood and was a public spirited citizen, who took broad views of men
and events. He was a Den]ocrat in politics, though ne\-er an aspirant for
public office, and he and his wife were faithful and earnest members of the
Methodist Episcopal church. They were the parents of ten children, namely:
764 LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Clara, now deceased, was first the wife of John Chisman, and afterwards
married John Hardman, all of whom are now deceased; Wesley R., who is a
painter residing in Kansas City, was a soldier in the Union army during the
Civil war; Annie, who lives in Kokomo, is the widow of Zachariah Chap-
man; Mary M., the widow of the subject of this sketch; Ella married Reuben
Thomas, of Howard county, Indiana; Laura is the widow of Joseph Jones,
and lives at Shoals, Indiana; Jennie married ^Milton AI. Guthrie, of Indian-
apolis, Indiana; William J. is a resident of North Dakota; Amanda is the
wife of Ad. Patterson, of Shoals, Indiana; Douglas has a machine shop at
Linton, this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie were born the following chil-
dren: Alfred B., who is the editor and publisher of a paper at Chateau.
Montana, married Julia Thomas, and they have three children. Bertrand,
Charles and John; Howard, who died on February 6, 1907, was a train dis-
patcher for the Monon railroad and \\as also for a time with the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. He married Iva Buchannan, who lives in Bedford, and
they had a son, Howard ; Charles E. is a bookkeeper at Bedford, and mar-
ried Elizabeth Kirby, by whom he has one daughter, Margaret; Michael B.,
who is a successful dentist at Bedford, graduated from the Louisville Dental
College in 1908, since which time he has been located in Bedford; Grace is
the wife of Dr. Walter T. Sherwood, of Mitchell, Indiana; Clyde is the wife
of John Witt of Centerville, Ohio, and they have one child, John Marshall;
Lydia is the wife of E. L. Schuberth, a grocer at Louisville, Kentucky. These
children all received good common school educations and were also edu-
cated at the State University at Bloomington, to which place Mr. and Mrs.
Guthrie removed in order to give their children educational advantages, but
after living there five years, they returned to Bedford in 1899, locating at
X(i. 1 108 M street, where the yremodeled their home and resided thereafter.
Air. Guthrie's death removed from Lawrence county one of her substantial
and highly esteemed citizens and the many beautiful tributes to his high
standing as a man and citizen attested to the abiding place he had in the
hearts and affections of those who knew him and of his life and work. His
honorable and successful career was not a path of roses, for he had fought
against and conquered adverse conditions which would ha\-e discouraged
those of less mettle. He acted well liis part in life and while primarily inter-
ested in his own affairs he was not unmindful of the interests of others, as
his efforts to advance the public good and promote the welfare of his fellow
men abundantly attested. Because of his upright life and business success he
is eminently worthy of a place in the annals of his county.
Hfckman
BINDERY, INC.
Bound-To-Please*
FEB 02
. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962